politics in italian renaissance
In The Prince, Machiavelli is attempting to win the favor of the prince in Tuscany. He tries to do this by giving him the only thing that he feels could benefit a new prince, his knowledge. Most people try to win favor by giving horses, gold, or precious stones, but Machiavelli had none of these. The only thing he had of value was his experience and reading of history. Machiavelli discusses the politics and the relations with the various city-states through the examples of how others came to power. He takes examples from leaders of their own time and from leaders of the past to examine what strengths and weaknesses brought them to power and how they ruled once they had that power. These are his views of politics in the Italian Renaissance. To investigate the politics of the various city-states, Machiavelli looks at how the principality came to power. He begins with a new principality that was acquired by its own skill. He feels that men that come to power by there own skill gain their principality with great difficulty, but they hold on to it easily. The trouble in gaining the authority is that many enemies are made that profit from the old
In discussing the relations between the city-states, Machiavelli feels that it is just as important to secure your principality with neighboring states, as it is to secure leadership in your own state. The best way to get other states to support you is by greatness or nobility of character. It is not beneficial to have to gain support by buying their favor through gifts or tributes. These friendships are purchased but not owned. Therefore a prince in this instance never knows whether he can rely on these other states if he is in trouble. The manual of politics that Machiavelli outlines in the Prince is accurate of the political history of Italy in the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a time when many different groups were fighting for control of the same land. Politics was often cutthroat just as Machiavelli describes. While some of the examples that he gives are taken from history books, many of them are taken from their own time, the Renaissance. In later chapters in the Prince, Machiavelli considers different ways of ruling these newly acquired territories whether the principality took control of there own city or that of a conquered land. A leader must consider all of the harmful things he must do to the people of a newly conquered land and do them all at once. This way he won't have to repeat them. By doing this the people can eventually begin to feel security and be able to enjoy the gifts the new leader gives them. If they do not do this, the prince will always feel unsafe because the wounds inflicted on the citizens are continually reopened and are not forgotten. He also says that the benefits should be given slowly so they can be fully appreciated. If they get them all at once, they will miss
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1168
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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