11/19 The Prince (#12b)

Human Nature
Machiavelli views human nature as predominantly evil and seeking its own success. He has seen through working in the political realm the nature of man to satisfy his own needs and pride over the needs of others and to betray others if necessary. In his life, Machiavelli was accused unjustly of conspiracy against the Medici regime after it had overthrown the Florentine republic. He was imprisoned and tortured before being set free to improve the military fortifications in Florence; he was able to do this through his experience with the Florence republican militia and government. However, when the Medicis were defeated by the Pope, Machiavelli was taken to be a Medici sympathizer. From this view and background, Machiavelli bases his strategy of how to be a successful prince or leader of a land. His principle view was that a prince should take on only those attributes which will get him enough love from his people in order to do what is needed and "take pains to avoid hatred" (1955). In his work, "The Prince," Machiavelli describes how the Duke Valentino took control of his land and kept it for a long time. The Duke took control of his mainly through work of his father, Pope Alexander VI, using the French king to suppress the Colonnesi in Romagna (1950). The Duke kept control by using a corrupt lord, Messer Remirro, and gave him complete authority. After many cruelties, the Duke had him "laid in two pieces in the public square" and "the ferocity of this spectacle left those people at the same time gratified and awe-struck" (1951).

Virtues
Machiavelli names five virtues which he believes all rulers should have: compassion, trustworthiness, humanity, honesty, and religiousness. He does not make a good argument for each. He believes that the prince should be ready to show them all but also be ready to do the opposite according to situation. Due to his negative view of human nature, Machiavelli pushes leaders to "have a mind capable of turning in whatever direction the winds of Fortune and the variations of affairs require" (1957).