A LECTURE

LECTURE OUTLINE1. INTRODUCTION AND THESIS STATEMENT2. BACKGROUND OF NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI3. ANALYSIS OF “THE PRINCE”4. CONNECTIONS TO TODAY AND WRAP UP

INTRODUCTION/THESIS STATEMENTLECTURE FOCUS IS ON POLITICAL THEORYDEFINITION: AN IDEA THAT CHARACTERIZES THE

THINKING OF A GROUP OR NATIONNICCOLO MACHIAVELLI HAD MANY IDEAS

ABOUT HOW A PRINCE (RULER) SHOULD HOLD POWER

THESIS: ALTHOUGH SOME CONDEMN MACHIAVELLI’S THEORIES IN “THE PRINCE” AS CORRUPT, HIS IDEAS ARE SOUND AND STILL APPLY TO POLITICS TODAY.

LIVED DURING THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD IN ITALY

WAS BANISHED FROM ITALY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME

WROTE “THE PRINCE” DURING A VERY TUMULTUOUS PERIOD IN FLORENCE AND IN ITALY

HAD JUST WITNESSED THE FRENCH INVASION OF ITALY AND SO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HIS COUNTRY

ALSO, EACH CITY WAS TRYING TO ASSERT ITS POWER AND OUTDO THE OTHER CITYSTATES – RESULTED IN A LOT OF BACKSTABBING, ESPIONAGE AND VIOLENCE

MACHIAVELLI BASED HIS IDEAS ABOUT POWER ON THE SON OF POPE ALEXANDER VI – CESARE BORGIA IN 1499, FRANCE HAD OVERRUN ITALYCESARE RESTORES CONTROL OF ROME THROUGH VIOLENCEBY RESTORING POWER IN ROME, HE IS HELPING ITALY TO UNIFY INTO AN

ITALIAN KINGDOMMAINTAINED POWER BY KILLING HIS ENEMIES, CONQUERING, AND

BRIBERY

WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE ABOUT CESARE’S INFLUENCE ON MACHIAVELLI?

MACHIAVELLI WAS IMPRESSED BY CESARE BORGIA’S ABILITY TO SEIZE AND MAINTAIN POWER

ITALY WAS IN DISARRAY AND ONLY STRONG ARM TACTICS COULD SAVE IT FROM FRANCE

BEING NICE AND MORAL AS A LEADER WOULD GET ITALY NOWHERE.

ANALYSIS OF THE PRINCE1. REVIEW OF READING2. DISCUSSION OF QUESTIONS3. CONNECTION TO THESIS

THE PRINCE IS A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR RULERSRULERS MUST KNOW HOW TO MANIPULATE SITUATIONS

TO FAVOUR THEIR INTERESTSNEVER APPEAR CRUEL BUT A RULER SHOULD BE FEARED

(BETTER THAN BEING LOVED)EMOTION OF LOVE IS FICKLE WHEREAS FEAR IS

POWERFULRULER SHOULD HAVE STRONG ARMY AS BACKUP

IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE ADMIRED AND CONDEMNED AT THE SAME TIME

“THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS” – DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOUR COUNTRY PLACES

SOMETIMES VIOLENCE AND WAR IS NECESSARY – THIS CAN BE ELEVATED TO AN ART FORM

“THE FEW HAVE NO INFLUENCE WHEN THE MANY FEEL SECURE”

HITLER WAS A MACHIAVELLIAN RULER – MANIPULATED THE GERMAN PEOPLE AND OTHER LEADERS OF THE WORLD

GEORGE BUSH CREATED A “REASON” FOR WAR AND CONVINCED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SUPPORT HIM

DURING THE OCTOBER CRISIS, TRUDEAU IMPLEMENTED THE WAR MEASURES ACT – NECESSARY MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE ENDS

SENDING TROOPS TO WAR –PUBLIC SUPPORTSOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY TO LIE TO THE

PUBLICTAXATION: CONSERVATIVE OR RIGHT WING

GOVERNMENTS FIRMLY BELIEVE IN VERY LOW TAXES

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE EVERYONE AND WEAK MIDDLE OF THE ROAD POLITICIAN IS USUALLY LAUGHED AT

MACHIAVELLI DID NOT WRITE A GUIDE ON HOW TO BE A DICTATOR

HE IS THE FATHER OF MODERN POLITICAL THEORY

HE IS A REFLECTION OF RENAISSANCE HUMANISM

HIS IDEAS STILL HOLD TRUE TODAY