A LECTURE

LECTURE OUTLINE 1. INTRODUCTION AND THESIS STATEMENT 2. BACKGROUND OF NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI 3. ANALYSIS OF “THE PRINCE” 4. CONNECTIONS TO TODAY AND WRAP UP

INTRODUCTION/THESIS STATEMENT LECTURE FOCUS IS ON POLITICAL THEORY DEFINITION: AN IDEA THAT CHARACTERIZES THE THINKING OF A GROUP OR NATION NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI HAD MANY IDEAS ABOUT HOW A PRINCE (RULER) SHOULD HOLD POWER THESIS: ALTHOUGH SOME CONDEMN MACHIAVELLI’S THEORIES IN “THE PRINCE” AS CORRUPT, HIS IDEAS ARE SOUND AND STILL APPLY TO POLITICS TODAY.

LIVED DURING THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD IN ITALY WAS BANISHED FROM ITALY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WROTE “THE PRINCE” DURING A VERY TUMULTUOUS PERIOD IN FLORENCE AND IN ITALY HAD JUST WITNESSED THE FRENCH INVASION OF ITALY AND SO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HIS COUNTRY ALSO, EACH CITY WAS TRYING TO ASSERT ITS POWER AND OUTDO THE OTHER CITYSTATES – RESULTED IN A LOT OF BACKSTABBING, ESPIONAGE AND VIOLENCE

MACHIAVELLI BASED HIS IDEAS ABOUT POWER ON THE SON OF POPE ALEXANDER VI – CESARE BORGIA IN 1499, FRANCE HAD OVERRUN ITALY CESARE RESTORES CONTROL OF ROME THROUGH VIOLENCE BY RESTORING POWER IN ROME, HE IS HELPING ITALY TO UNIFY INTO AN ITALIAN KINGDOM MAINTAINED POWER BY KILLING HIS ENEMIES, CONQUERING, AND BRIBERY WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE ABOUT CESARE’S INFLUENCE ON MACHIAVELLI?

MACHIAVELLI WAS IMPRESSED BY CESARE BORGIA’S ABILITY TO SEIZE AND MAINTAIN POWER ITALY WAS IN DISARRAY AND ONLY STRONG ARM TACTICS COULD SAVE IT FROM FRANCE BEING NICE AND MORAL AS A LEADER WOULD GET ITALY NOWHERE.

ANALYSIS OF THE PRINCE 1. REVIEW OF READING 2. DISCUSSION OF QUESTIONS 3. CONNECTION TO THESIS

THE PRINCE IS A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR RULERS RULERS MUST KNOW HOW TO MANIPULATE SITUATIONS TO FAVOUR THEIR INTERESTS NEVER APPEAR CRUEL BUT A RULER SHOULD BE FEARED (BETTER THAN BEING LOVED) EMOTION OF LOVE IS FICKLE WHEREAS FEAR IS POWERFUL RULER SHOULD HAVE STRONG ARMY AS BACKUP

IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE ADMIRED AND CONDEMNED AT THE SAME TIME “THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS” – DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOUR COUNTRY PLACES SOMETIMES VIOLENCE AND WAR IS NECESSARY – THIS CAN BE ELEVATED TO AN ART FORM “THE FEW HAVE NO INFLUENCE WHEN THE MANY FEEL SECURE”

HITLER WAS A MACHIAVELLIAN RULER – MANIPULATED THE GERMAN PEOPLE AND OTHER LEADERS OF THE WORLD GEORGE BUSH CREATED A “REASON” FOR WAR AND CONVINCED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SUPPORT HIM DURING THE OCTOBER CRISIS, TRUDEAU IMPLEMENTED THE WAR MEASURES ACT – NECESSARY MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE ENDS

SENDING TROOPS TO WAR –PUBLIC SUPPORT SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY TO LIE TO THE PUBLIC TAXATION: CONSERVATIVE OR RIGHT WING GOVERNMENTS FIRMLY BELIEVE IN VERY LOW TAXES IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE EVERYONE AND WEAK MIDDLE OF THE ROAD POLITICIAN IS USUALLY LAUGHED AT

 MACHIAVELLI DID NOT WRITE A GUIDE ON HOW TO BE A DICTATOR  HE IS THE FATHER OF MODERN POLITICAL THEORY  HE IS A REFLECTION OF RENAISSANCE HUMANISM  HIS IDEAS STILL HOLD TRUE TODAY