The role of "The People" in any political system

A detailed Summary of The role of "The People" in any political system

For many centuries people have been looking for answers to different questions that political life raises. To find these answers we often draw attention to the ideas developed centuries ago. One of the people who established ideas about politics was Niccolo Machiavelli whose work was important ever since and often gave people answers in this area. His two most known books on politics, The Prince and The Discourses, still have immense importance in study of politics. History tends to repeat itself, and can be understood as a cycle, where many things can be predicted as a result of analyses. That is why after more then four hundred years we still discuss Machiavelli's work.

In The Discourses author discuses what the "form of government" should be like taking in account republics, and in The Prince he gives certain criteria for Princes how to maintain power in hereditary states. Although ideas of these two books are different in some ways, there are certain points in which Machiavelly holds the same understanding. In both his books attention is drawn not only to discussion of the governmental estates, but also to the people who live under rule of their Prince. Although in The Prince Machiavelli has as the main goal givi

Talking about people Machiavelli means the society that comprises the major part of a state. The number of people is important, although these people are under the rule of a Prince and their life very much depends on choices their Prince makes. In both The Discourses and The Princes this fact remains important when Machiavelli discusses the role of law. He considers law as a main force that "makes people good." In The Discourses Machiavelli talks a lot about law and comes to a conclusion that if a state has strict laws, its life will be long and there wont be power strong enough to change something in its existence.

Even though using law the ruler can maintain his power the way he wants it, people is a great power that can reform the stated despite of might of their Prince. Usually, it's people who comprise major number of population, not nobles. Thus it is extremely important for Prince to "satisfy the people", because they are strong enough to overthrow their ruler, they are "even stronger then soldiers." It should be the prior goal of every ruler to satisfy and delight the people. And it is also not very difficult, because all the people want is not to be oppressed, they are "less desirous" , unlike nobles who are greedy and the more they get, the more they want. "Nobles want to dominate, people not to be dominated." Thus it is impossible to satisfy nobles.

There is a clear parallel between the two books in the idea that people are "generally incredulous, never really trusting new things, unless they have tested them by experience." Thus acceptance of new laws is the most difficult process for people. This is also dangerous, because principality can die before new order is established. It can happen so that people wont accept the new law, and this time serious conflict may arise and it is dangerous for longitude of life of the state.

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Approximate Word count = 1264
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics