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Essay / Biography and Principles Taught by Niccolo Machiavelli
Machiavelli Essay: Question 1 Born in the 15th century, Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian historian, politician, philosopher, diplomat, and humanist. After his career as a civil servant in the Florentine Republic, Machiavelli was one of the founders of modern political science and political ethics. In the political treatise The Prince, written in 1532, Machiavelli describes several key features of a successful principality, such as: how to incorporate newly acquired provinces, the most effective way to conquer territories, establishing defense forces and effective military personnel, as well as the qualities that would make the most desirable prince. Machiavelli also draws attention to the pitfalls of previous Italian princes in order to prevent the same mistakes from happening again. In The Discourses on Livy, Machiavelli discusses the things that were currently happening in Rome as a result of the public council, the decision made by the Roman people in an attempt to expand the empire, as well as the actions taken by selected men who made Rome a prosperous nation. In times of political uncertainty, Machiavelli addresses the need for a stable political structure and the moral basis for which that structure would exist, as well as the interest of the individual and the state in conjunction with the Italian environment in the era of big cities. States.Italian politics in the 15th century was in a state of flux due to the Renaissance of the 14th century. Machiavelli attempts to describe the ideal autocratic regime that would emphasize the need for realism rather than the currently favored idealistic mentality. Current Italian political and ethical goals were based on the idea that the people must wait for changes to occur by chance, while Machi...... middle of paper ......es...but allows men with private wealth…” (Machiavelli chapter XIV). It is through the use of superior warfare that princes can remain in power and provide stable leadership. By building his career as a diplomat in the service of the Florentine Republic, Nicolas Machiavelli built councils for both the princes and the citizens of the republic. Machiavelli believes that there is an urgent need for stable, centralized political authority and that the moral basis of this rule should be built not on the prior values of luck and virtue, but on the ideas of determination and choice. Creating a successful city-state in Italy's current environment requires placing importance not only on strategic warfare but also on many other personal choices made by political leaders.BibliographyMachiavelli, Niccolò. The prince and the speeches. New York: modern library, 1950.