2. How important is force in the rule of the State?
Machiavelli believes "there cannot be good laws where there are not good arms, and where there are good arms, there are bound to be good laws". Machiavelli also dissents with employing mercenaries as a government force saying, "any man who founds his state on mercenaries can never be safe or secure", because "they have no other passions or incentives...except their desire for a bit of money".
3. What seems to be Machiavelli's view of human nature?
Machiavelli holds an extremely cynical view of humans creating the "general rule" saying, "they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, fearful of danger and greedy for gain". Therefore Machiavelli says that in order for the Prince to maintain control, he must be not loved nor hated, but solely feared by all citizens.
6. Contemporaries saw Machiavelli as a dangerous man. Does The Prince offer any ground for this opinion?
The opinions Machiavelli provides in The Prince certainly offer grounds for assuming Machiavelli as a dangerous man. Had Machiavelli achieved power in Italy, his reign according to his own advice to the Prince, would resemble what contemporaries would not know as Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy. The imperil government that intimidates, holds a strong nationalist army; that keeps a tight grip on its people, certainly would also resemble the frightening Roman tyrannical emperors contemporaries would have been familiar with, especially after the rise of democracy in 15th century Florence.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete