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
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