Reflection on Machiavelli
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Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. Florence was considered one of the most dominant Italian power to conquer. It was the main attraction for the
renaissances influences. Throughout the years, Machiavellis presence was around the time that both the French and Spanish armies were fighting over the control of Italy. During this time, Italy was falling apart because it was deficient in leadership. Machiavelli served 14 years as Chancellor of Florence before he was exiled in 1513. The Republic had fallen and the Medicis returned in power. While in exile, Machiavelli knew the world was changing and becoming more chaotic; he wrote the book The Prince.
The Prince was written to emphasize his thoughts that Italy was on the edge to its pitfall, and leadership and unity was needed to take and maintain control. The Prince is a type of guidance for ruling, and was especially written to help Lorenzo de Medici stay in power. It stresses on managing public affairs and war craft, favor and hatred, free choice, goodness, and human nature followed politically.
In Machiavellis book, he pointed out that the lack of order and unity in Italy put the people of Italy in danger. That stronger neighbors would dominate the Italian people. His thoughts greatly desired for a leader to bring Italy together and maintain enough power to stabilize control of Italy to be able to stand strong against foreigners. His words expresses the necessary act for action, and to have the acknowledgement of what must be needed to succeed.
Furthermore, Machiavellis way of thinking was to accept and deal with the world as it is, rather than trying to see how it should be. For instance, a Prince understands how to lead because its within customs. Changing such customs only lead to new changes that people would rebel on because they are not used to it. Personally, trying to ignore of how the world should be will only lead to ruin because changes are sometimes necessary. Machiavelli also states that a Prince has to learn to be able to use lies, force, and frauds if needed in the world that is because he believed that people are ungrateful, instable, fake, betrayal, and greedy. There are no limits to moral values because it is human to do wrong. People cannot be trusted and they will backstab, therefore, being a Prince, a leader, and not recognizing that evil is in human, and not taking into account that fear must be inspired in order to stay in power of the state and its security, failure would be the result. That being said, I think it is best known that the most merciless are the ones in power. If a leader wants power, the leader must play by those rules, or else the leader also affects the people. However, the leader cannot have the people turned against him; feared, but not despised. Being a leader is only accomplished by understanding what is and is not needed. A leader standing by their words shows loyalty, but it must be understood when to lie. Execution is not necessary, but realize that at times it might be. A leader should show goodness and nobility, but break if it is