Niccolò Machiavelli, "The Emperor": reader feedback, main idea, content, quotes

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Reviews of Machiavelli's "The Prince" will interest all fans of this medieval writer and philosopher. In his book, which has been considered legendary for several centuries, he described the methods of management, the seizure of power and the skills that every ruler should possess. In this article, we will give a summary of the book and reviews that readers leave about it.

History of Creation

Reviews about the "Sovereign" Machiavelli can be found directly opposite. The treatise itself was written in 1513, but published much later. The work was first published in 1532. By that time, five years had passed since the death of the author. During his lifetime, the book was never printed.

It is considered a fundamental work for its time, which provides a detailed systematization of the available information about the state, ways and methods of managing it.

Main idea

In the book "The Prince" Machiavelli describes two main forms of government (monarchy and republic) and ways of coming to power. Among them, he highlights the power of arms, virtue and luck.

Due to the fact that luck is not in the power of man, the author proposes to place the main bet on two other principles, arguing that they complement each other. According to Machiavelli in The Prince, armed preachers win.

Often he expresses rather bold thoughts about the nature of power. For example, arguing that the ruler should be likened to animals. First of all, the lion and the fox.

This was one of the first full and frank works devoted to the nature of power. Until now, the book of Niccolo Machiavelli "The Sovereign" is popular with modern rulers of various ranks.

Author

Wrote the treatise "The Emperor" by N. Machiavelli. This Italian philosopher and politician was born in Florence in 1469.

At that time it was the independent Republic of Florence, in which he held a number of key posts. The most significant is the secretary of the second office, who was responsible for diplomatic and international relations. He owns several theoretical works, including those devoted to the tactics of warfare.

The philosopher has always been a supporter of strong state power. He allowed the use of any means to strengthen it. Chapters in "The Sovereign" are also devoted to this. Machiavelli.

Throughout his career, he repeatedly fell into disgrace, but then, as a rule, returned to the service. Once again, being out of luck, he was no longer able to return to power. The thinker could not bear such a defeat. In 1527, he died at the age of 58, a few kilometers from his native Florence.

Summary

In the treatise "The Prince" N. Machiavelli pays special attention to three rules that every ruler must follow. The first is that you must be personally present in all your new possessions. The proximity of the ruler makes the people feel their own importance, and also effectively scares off enemies.

The second rule is based on the need to take action to eliminate competitors in a timely manner. Weak leaders in neighboring states should be protected so that they join you.

Third rule says to be careful about future threats.

Governance

Speaking briefly about Machiavelli's "Sovereign", it should be noted that he pays special attention to how the state should be governed. There are several main systems. The first is "ruler - baron". In this situation, the country is easy enough to conquer. One has only to lure a few barons to their side. But at the same time, you may expect the same troubles as the predecessor, if you do not take measures to eliminate them.

As an example, Machiavelli cites France, in which the kingruled through a large number of nobles, called barons. This unstable system contributes to the fragmentation of the state, since, if the opportunity arises, the nobles are able to challenge the power of their ruler.

Ruler - Servant

Another "ruler-servant" system. In such a situation, the sovereign begins to eliminate people who have at least some political ambitions. As a result, only those who wholeheartedly support the ruler and his ideals remain in significant positions. This is the only way to create a cohesive state capable of resisting the invaders in the event of an invasion.

This time, as an example, Machiavelli talks about Alexander conquering Persia. Darius followed just such a system of government, abolishing all institutions and forcing leaders to follow him to the last. Because of this, Alexander the Great had to fight desperately to conquer Persia. But after his death, there were no independent rulers in the country who could stage a coup.

What system to use in his state, the ruler himself must decide. Each has advantages and disadvantages. You should proceed from your own capabilities and specific circumstances.

Conquest of new territories

Machiavelli believed that the ruler is able to gain control of the state through international agreements or force. At the same time, he emphasized that even the most gifted ruler needs luck in order to skillfullyuse your strengths.

If you capture a kingdom or city with the help of an army, it will be a demonstration of your spiritual strength, courage and character, leadership qualities. But it can be completely useless if luck is not on your side.

Example - Romulus, who left Alba as an infant, prompting him to found Rome. Otherwise, he could become a farmer without being able to showcase his best qualities.

The opposite is also true. When fate favors you, you should prove yourself in order to take advantage of its gifts. In some cases, one can become a sovereign by a happy occasion, by the will of an influential patron. In this case, your opponents will be stronger than your supporters in the new state. This is because the former are planning to overthrow you, while the latter do not know what to expect from you.

It is necessary to act in such a situation as quickly as possible in order to lay a solid foundation for a long reign.

The Art of War

Machiavelli believed that this is one of the main skills that any ruler should have. At the same time, he admitted that diplomacy is a useful tool, but when it comes to direct confrontation, it is better to be armed than vice versa. The art of war must be mastered in order to become a sovereign and hold power.

Maintaining military skills matters even in times of peace. After all, even good institutions and laws cannot be protected without a strong and powerful army.

Forto maintain power, war is also necessary, as it helps to keep mental and physical abilities in constant readiness. For example, Machiavelli advises every time you hunt to explore the landscape of your own possessions, evaluating how best to use this area if you need to build a defense.

Preparing for war is best done using the experience of the masters. For example, Alexander the Great studied under Achilles, and under Alexander himself - Caesar.

It pays to be a good leader in times of peace. But do not forget that luck can be changeable. At any moment, war can fall on your lands. In this case, the only way to hold on to power is to prepare for defense.

A combination of stinginess and generosity

Subjects always expect a certain behavior from their ruler. In their view, he should remain generous, polite. This is important for maintaining stability. At the same time, qualities that seem positive for an ordinary person may not suit the sovereign.

For example, everyone loves generous people. But if the ruler strives for such a reputation, people will quickly get used to it. Therefore, it will be necessary to shower them with gifts constantly, which will quickly deplete the treasury. To continue in this vein, you will have to increase taxes, and this will nullify all efforts.

These ideas are also confirmed by quotes from Machiavelli's The Prince.

If it will be objected to me that many were already sovereigns and did great things at the head of the army, but they were known as the most generous, I will answer that you can spend eitherone's own or someone else's. In the first case, frugality is useful, in the second, as much generosity as possible.

Therefore, a competent sovereign must balance greed and generosity. It is worth being generous when you are just gaining power. Having received it, it will not be superfluous to demonstrate your stinginess. In the long run, people will be more satisfied with low taxes than with your generosity.

Good advisers

It is important for every sovereign to have good advisers. There are examples in history of leaders who were jacks of all trades, but none of them could be an expert in all matters without exception. The recruitment of advisers and work with them speaks of the leadership qualities of the ruler.

The quality of advisers also depends on the sovereign. Once you have determined in which areas you need help, it is worth maintaining good relations with the ministers so that they sincerely serve your interests. However, they should be constantly monitored. As soon as you discover that someone is acting for his own benefit, fire him immediately, the author of the treatise advises. Those who serve faithfully should be generously rewarded. However, it should not be excessive, so as not to provoke intrigues behind your back.

The sovereign should also be able to ask for advice. Ministers must see that you value an honest opinion and will never punish them for the truth, no matter how bitter it may be. Otherwise, you will always hear only embellished lies or outright flattery.

You should not unconditionally listen to advice. If ministers are allowedgive orders yourself, people will quickly question your competence. You should always make it clear that you make the final decision whether to seek advice this time or not.

Reviews

In reviews of Machiavelli's The Prince, it is noted that this is a book that every educated person should be familiar with. It has been used by the rulers of the world for many centuries.

The whole book is a collection of instructions and instructions that are really necessary and useful for any ruler. In it you can find real examples of certain actions, indications of the mistakes of the rulers of different years. Reviews of Machiavelli's The Prince emphasize that these remarks are considered the most valuable in it.

It is important that all material is presented in a simple and logical way. Good reviews about The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli can encourage many to get acquainted with this immortal treatise, which is already several centuries old.

It is worth noting that this work remains quite popular among those who are not interested in history and politics. Much of this is due to the fact that the author gives advice on how to get and keep power in small chapters that are easy to digest.

We admit that there are also negative reviews about Machiavelli's The Prince. Some people were not impressed by the book, they argue that the work will be interesting and useful only to current representatives of the authorities, while for others it will remain only a source of useless information.knowledge.