History..Machiavelli,I'm foriegn student,and although English is not my first language,but i'm trying my best

Question

Hey guys I'm reading and translating alot to write a good essay for this Title:

It is often said that The prince represents a guidebook for those who wish to acquire and maintain political power.

(What practical problems do you think arise in the way Machiavelli suggests that power in aquired and maintained, and the way a ruler should deal with furtune).

I'm almost half way through. Any suggestions, websites...etc will be reallly helpful.


Thanks all,
Angel

Answer 1

Have a look at this link. http://toomanybrokenhearts.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!6B982B70A0D5E363!214.entry
With a bit of re-writing I think it is your assignment done.

Answer 2

The basic problem with Machiavelli's strategy is that it gets you very little.

He was writing about maintaining power in the turbulent Italian city-states. His methods are about maintaining top position on a pile of bodies for as long as possible. It is self-limiting and destroys power while attempting to hold onto it.

Answer 3

One of the most fascinating characters of History, is, without doubt, Lorenzo di Medici, il Magnifico.

Lorenzo possessed a charming, sparkling, magnetic personality.

It was for him that Niccolò Macchiavelli wrote “The Prince” ( which is contrary to everything he wrote before, and even against his line of thinking.Ironically, he became more famous because of this booklet, considered the precursor of Political Science than for the others he wrote before, and the word “machiavelic” was created to ilustrate hypocrisy, cruelty and fishy things…

But Lorenzo was above this, he was a gentle and intelligent tyrant, a lover of the arts and a patron to artists like Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio and many others . Without Lorenzo di Medici, they would remain in the shadows where are the unknown talents.

Here is a great link ; http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/machiavelli/

Answer 4

Hi Angel,
Firstly, I appreciate your goodly efforts to pick up on such items as "Mack", as I call him, and may I say that I wish I was as good as typing in French, when a mere student there.
However, my philosophy runs with Mack, to the extent that it is a dodgy notion to upset the majority. Troubles will loom up.
Many a dark word is whispered in the halls of power.
I can be a bit Mack now & then, but only if I really disagree with some daft political notion.
Best to keep quite, mostly, and let the Macks have their say.

Interesting bloke, though, and worthy of further research.

All the best with it,

Bob

Answer 5

It is also said that the great man, if you like, represented all that was evil. That is what keeps people interested in this work, although he did write other works too.
1.The practical problems are mentioned by the other answerers, I would add that in the process of reading a work like this, the intended reader, ie the person with the wealth or position of power who could readily utilise his advice would have to analyse what was written and hence would not be following the work as a practical DIY handbook as is assumed.
2.Other problems or obstacles are the modern perceptions of events or situations that could be created in which to carry out the said processes, ie murder etc.
3.Managers and political elites use a variety of ancient resources to help with modern day problems, for example Sun Tze's The Art of War, or The Way of the General which are both ancient chinese texts written by military strategists regarding the issue of keeping control of people under your control as well as people on the opposite side to you.
4.Leaders usually want to learn the thought processes or the attitudes that a stable leadership would require. Actions which Machievelli describes are step 2 which follows from having the right strategic attitude step 1. This attitude is different hence the actions which follow would differ, so Machievelli could not be followed strictly.
5.Your modern day opponent is also likely to have read this work! Whereas Mach wrote the book only for the ruler of the time in order to gain their confidence in him.
6.Religious or modern perceptions of human relations would affect judgement as to how to use the advice given by Machiavelli.
7.The world in the past was not as crowded by miscellaneous objects and distractions as they are now, society was more unstable and very much restricted in behaviour etc, in comparision to the present day, you would expect unpowerful groups to have power now due to the ubiquitous nature of the media,
8. you could also say that the ambitions of people today are less broad than in the past, we would be happy with a steady job contract, or control of a small business which generated a steady income and payed the mortgage, whereas in the past you would be king or nothing.
9.The introduction of more visible ethics such as human rights and compassion restrain the appetite for raw power, hence machievelli is rightly said to represent evil in the written form, although I agree that as a historical work, it is very very valuable and beautiful in its language.

Answer 6

if you really want to know what machiavelli has to say about gaining political power in a democracy, Il Principe (the prince) isn't the one you have to read. If only I could remember the title of the book :(. Anyway, he wrote other, more specific books on the subject.

Answer 7

Some of the practical problems are modern ones - with the rise of the information age and with science, it is much more difficult for one to commit murder and to exile one's political opponents and to remain undetected. When other countries, or one's own countrymen find out that you rose to power by murder and corruption, your regime will be under attack from other countries and from your own countrymen.

If everyone who has aspirations of power were to follow Machiavelli, the governmental halls would be a mass of intrigue and ruling/governing would be impossible because no one could trust anyone else. A ruler, minister, or bureaucrat could never implement any policies because he would never know who was ready to double-cross him, or even kill him, for that person's own personal gain.

Answer 8

I'm not sure, But his thinking isn't very "popular" in America right now, Since we woke-up and figured-out what these #@%-holes in Washington have been doing for the last few decades!
My prediction is: It's going to get real interesting around here "IF" the elites don't get off of this "little-people" trip in a hurry!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Machiavelli was Italian. His thesis seems to have been swallowed by many present day leaders. Take every opportunity and use it to its utmost. Take no heed of those you damage on your path.