Machiavelli’s
The Prince
Chapter 4
Machiavelli thought that princes should rule how
Alexander the Great ruled. After conquering new
land, install a prince with ministers instead of
nobles. Minister s don’t feel disloyal to their
prince and don’t have an urge to rebel, and if
they did, they would have no supporters. Nobles
can turn on the prince, and when they do, they
have their own followers who can assist in
overthrowing the prince.
“The difference does not arrive from the greater or
lesser ability of the conqueror, but from
dissimilarities in conquered lands” (27).
•Turkey and France
•No three branches
Chapter IV
“… all principalities for
which some record exists
have been ruled in two
different ways: either by a
single prince aided by
servants functioning as
ministers and governing
by his favor and
concession; or by a prince
with barons holding title
not by his grace but by
right of inheritance (25).”
• Monarchies by a king with
ministers (servants) are
harder to take over
– Easy to keep – Just kill the
ruling family
• Monarchies by a king with
the help of nobles are
easy to take
• Corrupt a lord who wants
change and can facilitate
victory
– Harder to keep – Stronger
nobles can try to regain
power
The Prince: Chapter 5
“Anyone who becomes
master of a city
accustomed to freedom
and does not destroy it
may expect to be
destroyed by it; for such a
city may always justify
rebellion in the name of
liberty and its ancient
institutions.” (Machiavelli
28)
• Destroy, Move, or Tribute
• Destroyed Cities are Kept
Cities
• Ancient Romans and
Spartans
• Stalin and the Soviet
Union
• Democrats v. Republicans
Chapter
6:Principalities
concerning
new
principalities
acquired
New
Acquired
By One’s
Arms And Ability
Ch:arms
6
by one’s own
and ability
The difficulty a new prince will have will depend on his ability. Those who become
prince
through
theiron
own
strength
have of
difficulty
power, but
keep it easily.
Rulers
who rely
prowess
instead
fortunegaining
are generally
more
successful in holding power over states because they can meet the
Establishing
states is
alwaysNothing
difficult,isbecause
everyoneor
who was
challengenew
of establishing
a new order.
more dangerous
happy
underthan
the introducing
old
order
willorder.
oppose change, and most people will not
difficult
a new
support new things until they have seen them work.
“ A Prudent man must always follow the path of great men, and to imitate those
who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least he will
achieve some semblance of it.”
“People are by nature changeable. It is easy to persuade them about some
Examples
of rulers
who
onhold
the strength
of their
own powers include
particular
matter,
buttriumphed
it is hard to
them to that
persuasion.”
(The
Moses,
Princeand
30)Cyrus, witch both were very religious and believed that they were
superior and no one could bring them down the same concept of Machiavellis
ideas.
Chapter #5
“Anyone who becomes master of a city
accustomed to freedom and does not
destroy it may expect to be destroyed
by it”(Machiavelli, 28).
This chapter talks about the way to keep
territory. Territory can’t be kept for long even
if force is used. Over time you will lose power
of territory by one reason or another.
Romans and the
Spartans
New Principalities Acquired By One’s Arms And Ability
Ch: 6
Rulers who rely on prowess instead of fortune are generally more
successful in holding power over states because they can meet the
challenge of establishing a new order. Nothing is more dangerous or
difficult than introducing a new order.
“People are by nature changeable. It is easy to persuade them about some
particular matter, but it is hard to hold them to that persuasion.”
(The
Prince 30)
Chapter 7
If one gains power through good
fortune, he often cannot maintain
that power or must work
especially hard to preserve it.
One would be wise to follow the
example of Cesare Borgia: lay
strong foundations through force,
deception, murder, flattery, and
strong allies.
“Those who rise from private station to become princes
by means of good fortune alone do so with scant effort
but remain so with much toil” (Machiavelli 32).
The Prince Chapter 7
•
Chapter 8
“Moreover, like all things in
• The people who did not have
and to slay one’s
money
back
in the day
It nature
cannotthat
be spring
calledup
virtue
fellow
citizens
, to were
grow quickly, states that come
bound to be better leaders
betray
friends,
to act
with outthan
faith,the
with
out
pity,
with
hastilyone’s
into being
cannot
have
ones
who
were
raised
proper
roots and
in abut
verynot
wealthy
out
religion…
onebranches;
may winsodominion
glory.family
(40) and
the first adverse weather
had everything handed to
destroys them unless, as I
them. They felt that the
There
ways
towith
become
prince;
have are
said,two
these
whofor
so a private citizen
people
money
didn’t
suddenlywickedness,
become princes
have
have
the same
experience
through
or the
wishes of
fellow
citizens.
It givesor
the rare ability to learn quickly
authority as the people
two
examples
with
Agathocles
and
Oliverotto’s
way to power
how to preserve what fortune
without
money.
byhas
destroying
others
dropped inthe
their
laps in
andpower.
begin to lay those foundations
which others have laid before
becoming princes.”
(Machiavelli 33)
chapter 9
Concerning the Civil Principality
• “The man who becomes prince through the help of the nobles
will find it more difficult to remain in power than the man who
becomes prince through the help of the people, for the former
will be surrounded by men who will presume to be his equals”
(Machiavelli 44).
Summary: In this chapter Machiavelli is expressing his belief
that if someone was to become prince through either the
people or the nobles it would be better to be voted by the
people. The nobles are all about manipulating and seeking
oppression while the people seek to avoid oppression.
According to Machiavelli, it is impossible to satisfy the nobles
fairly without injuring others.
The Prince Chapter 9
•
•
“Therefore a wise prince must provide in
such a way that in whatever
circumstances, the citizens will always be
in need of him and of his government.
Then they will always be loyal to him.”
Machiavelli 46
This Chapter was telling a prince how to
keep the loyalty of his people by providing
only so much to were the people are still
dependent on his government.
•
•
Many rules in the days have fallowed this
piece of advice through many different
examples. One of them would be Stalin in
Russia he provided the minimal needs for
his people making them dependent on
him.
I believe that that this is Machiavelli's way
of saying that people are indecisive about
who to place there loyalty in. He’s saying
that as long as they only have the bare
necessities the people are going to
depend on you and your help that way
you have there undying loyalty
~Chapter Ten~
•“…he has a sufficient supply of men or money
to put an adequate army in the field, capable
of engaging anyone likely to attack him” (47).
•If not met in battle, behind own fortifications
•Have no concern for countryside
•If city is strong and does not hate him, he
shan’t be attacked
•Should have food and supplies to last one
year inside walls if an attack should occur
Ecclesiastical Principalities
“although these powers are usually
gained through ability an fortune they
may be kept without one or the other
for they are sustained by ancient laws”
Chapter 12 :
Especially Mercenaries
Concerning Various Kinds of Troops
by: Julia Churchill
• “Experience shows that only princes and
republics with troops of their own have
accomplished great things.” (53)
• Machiavelli is suggesting that a good foundation
is built by a strong state, sound laws, and a good
army. Machiavelli also states that commanders
of an army are either skilled or unskilled.
Unskilled commanders are worthless, but skilled
commanders cannot be trusted to suppress their
own ambition, and that the only commander fit
to command an army is the prince himself.
Chapter 14
• “A prince must have no other objective, no other
thought…but that of war” (Machiavelli 59).
• The content of this chapter explain why a prince must
devote all of his time and effort into war, even during
times of peace so that he is always prepared for when
a war begins since he cannot avoid it.
Chapter 15
This chapter talks about how
Machiavelli thinks a prince should
treat his people.
Stalin
“It now remains to consider what the attitude and conduct
of a prince towards his subjects and friends should be”. (61)
To the leaders of today be
cruel to a curtain point but
don’t be so cruel that you
drive off your community.
The Prince Chapter 16: Miserliness and
Liberality
• “What does not belong to him or to his subject he may give away
freely, as Cyrus, Caesar, and Alexander did, for by bestowing the
goods of others he does not diminish, but rather increases, his
standing” (Machiavelli 64).
• Connection: In animal farm, Napoleon and his colleagues are frugal
with their material later in the story, but when they have just
liberated themselves from the farm, they give it out in order to
establish their power.
• Main Points:
– It is better to be frugal than generous
– If possible, spend other people’s money in order to advance your
position
– If you are frugal, then you will actually seem more generous when you
give things away than if you give all the time.
(Fear VS Love)
Chapter 17
Clifford Field
A prince must control his
subjects. This can be done
through fear and love, preferably
through fear ; humans generally
look out for their own interests.
Above all, a prince must avoid
being hated.
Chapter 18
“A wise prince cannot and should not keep his
pledge when it is against his interest to do so
and when his reasons for making the pledge are
no longer operative” (Machiavelli 68).
Men are simple and therefore are eager to obey princes
who demand immediate action. The prince who deceives
people with false qualities and doesn’t hold true to his
word by skillfully masking his tricks will overcome those
who determine their actions based on their promises.
Chapter 19:
How to Avoid Contempt and Hatred
• A Prince must avoid contempt and hatred at all costs.
– Do not steal or plunder objects of honor.
– Do not be frivolous, fickle, or cowardly.
– Delegate unpopular duties to others.
• In these ways the Prince will be safe from attack and
conspirators.
• In short, Machiavelli states that while a Prince should
be feared, he should not be hated.
Chapter 20
In Chapter 20, Machiavelli says that being
born a prince is a lot easier than becoming one
because new princes need more fame than
hereditary princes do. New princes have a lot more
work to do than hereditary princes.
“For by arming your subjects, you make their arms
your own.” (Machiavelli 79)
The Prince: Chapter 21
By: Davis Frye
Quote: “Above
all, by every
one of his
actions a
prince should
strive to win
renown as a
great man of
excellent
ability”
(Machiavelli
pg. 84).
Summary:
•When confronted with a decision
to take sides among two conflicting
parties, it is always better to be
fully devoted to one side than to be
neutral.
•If your allies win, you benefit
whether or not you have more
power than they have. If you are
more powerful, then your allies are
under your command; if your allies
are stronger, they will always feel a
certain obligation to you for your
help.
•If your side loses, you still have an
ally in the loser. It is wise for a
prince not to align with a stronger
force unless compelled to do so.
• The most important virtue is
having the wisdom to know what is
the least risky venture and then
pursuing it courageously.
Chapter XXIII How to Avoid
Flatterers
“…a prudent prince will choose a third
course, choosing the wise men of his state
and granting only to them the freedom to tell
him the truth, but only concerning those
matters about which he asks, and no others”
(Machiavelli 88).
Summary
•Flattery can only be avoided if men
are permitted to tell the truth
•But if every man is free to tell the
truth then the prince will not be
respected
•Machiavelli comes up with the idea
to only let wise men of the state to
have the freedom to tell the truth
•Also a prince should discourage
people giving him advice unless
asked for it
Analysis
• Relates to Animal Farm
•Advice for a leader
•I personally agree with
Machiavelli in this
chapter
Chapter 24
By: Michael Ward
Quote: “Therefore these princes of ours who were long in
possession of their states must not blame fortune but rather
their own sluggishness for having lost them” (Machiavelli 90).
•follows all of the principles and rules, he will be as secure as a inherited ruler
•well in the present, not look for changes in the future.
•anyone who gains a new state and then loses it through stupidity is disgraced.
•military power, subjects hate them, unable to defend against the nobles.
•Don’t blame bad luck but their own laziness for losses.
•Only rely on defenses that he can personally control.
•Okonkwo’s laziness
•Bode Miller’s laziness
Chapter 26
“Therefore, since fortune changes while human beings remain constant
in their methods of conduct, I conclude that men will succeed so long as
method and fortune are in harmony and they will fail when these things
are no longer in harmony” (Machiavelli 94).
Machiavelli is saying that
fortune alone does not maintain
one’s power; it is a combination
of how a prince acts and his
fortune. The circumstances or
times in which a prince is ruling
should reflect how he behaves.
Machiavelli then explicitly states
that it is better to rule
impetuously than in a reserved
and patient manner.