• Home Page
  • Compare And Contrast Plato And Machiavelli

Compare And Contrast Plato And Machiavelli

Great Essays
Show More
Rohini Harsh
M.A English (final) 3rd Semester
Dr. Shirshendu Chakravarthy
13th November 2014

Is it better to remain in the cave with Machiavelli, or see the light with Socrates?
“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.” ― Plato, The Republic
We can observe that today’s generation undergo some very grave and problematic issues. One such is that there is a predicament regarding the lack of successful leadership. The cause why we possess such challenge in today’s human race is due to the unproductive leadership. The powerful and influential individuals who construct judgments frequently concerned …show more content…
To systematize the newly constructed society, nation confided in a leader. Numerous individuals speculate concerning how accurate leadership should be and how they should operate. Several folks in the ancient history have inscribed on the subject of supreme leader and states and how to uphold them. Perhaps the most prominent and evaluated are Machiavelli's, The Prince and Plato's, The Republic. Plato and Machiavelli are those philosophers who enquired about the intrinsic worth of a leader and their characterization of leadership, up till now comprises authority in debating the contemporary time republics. Plato's ‘Republic’ was inscribed in primeval Greek in order to build up an ideal nation state together with the so called 'perfect' leader and Machiavelli's ‘The Prince’ was written in the 16th century offering guidance to princes to control their states. However these two thinkers resided in entirely different state of affairs, still both have powerful and valid points in identifying a …show more content…
Benjamin Jowett), Republic, electronic version, The Internet Classics Archive, viewed 10th September 2004, http://classics.mit.edu/index.html
• http://www.123helpme.com/search.asp?text=Machiavelli+vs+plato&sort=relevance&mode=TEXT&x=14&y=18
• Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. New York: Penguin Classics, 1999.
• “Free College Essays – Machiavelli’s Politics in The Prince.” http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=3384.
• "Analysis of Plato's The Republic." http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=3366
• “Plato's Republic, the Search for Justice and Goodness.” http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?
• http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/bertolivier/2013/02/08/what-politicians-could-learn-from-plato/
• "The Power of Machiavelli’s The Prince." http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=7260
• "If you can not decieve, you can not lead." http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=71016
• http://www.revista-actuario.com/Publicaciones/Ago08/016.pdf
• http://www.agorajournal.org/2014/Whitten%20FINAL.pdf
•

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Similarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli In The Prince And The Same Prince
    • 1534 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Similarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli In The Prince And The Same Prince

    Overall, Machiavelli advocates that the betterment of the state’s popularity should be the prince’s top priority over doing the right thing. However, he emphasizes that it is crucial…

    • 1534 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Compare And Contrast Machiavelli And The Prince
    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Machiavelli And The Prince

    Would Socrates Support a Machiavellian System? During a time of political turmoil, it is hard to know who to trust, and who should lead. In “The Prince” Machiavelli lists a plethora of guidelines as to how a prince should gain political power along with ways for them to ensure this power is long-lasting. Although Socrates and Machiavelli both lived in time periods with serious political issues, Socrates would not support Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince, or any type of government created as a result of Machiavellian principles.…

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Machiavelli Heir To Civic Humanism Analysis
    • 1091 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Machiavelli Heir To Civic Humanism Analysis

    Machiavelli is the “heir… to civic humanism” because he is keenly aware that any advice towards the ruling elite may be seen as a threat, and so he must validate his opinions through the use of examples from romanticized ancient Rome and Greece to show that his opinions were not an issue, but the truth behind them which would remain true even at his death or expulsion threatened the stability of any government. As is the case with Renaissance humanism, Machiavelli drew comparisons from knowledge of the ancient world to the world in which he lived, evaluating each based on each other. He took particular interest in the actions of the leaders, specifically the key points in history which led to their rise to and fall from power. He attempts to create rules or guidelines for future leaders to follow based on any consistencies he saw, giving him the title of “heir…to civic humanism.” Without further inquiry here it is impossible to say to what extent Machiavelli romanticized the ancient times, as he may have been picking and choosing stories which best aligned with his views, omitting contrary evidence, or he may have been using all the works available to him at the time.…

    • 1091 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Similarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates
    • 1779 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Similarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates

    Machiavelli and Socrates both share a similar background filled with political fragmentation and violence; however, the two philosophers would not see eye to eye on the way the government should be ran. Both men are very different in how the government should be structured and treat its people. Machiavelli’s prince would not be able to rule under the same philosophy of Socrates, and wouldn’t be able to let Socrates live among his people. In no way, would Socrates support Machiavelli’s concept of a prince seeing how it would constrain Socrates, being a gadfly. If Socrates lived under Machiavelli’s view of a prince then Socrates would ultimately be put to death for his contradictory views of a sovereign that interferes with the prince’s absolute…

    • 1779 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Comparing Socrates And Machiavelli's The Prince
    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Comparing Socrates And Machiavelli's The Prince

    Socrates Is No Prince Socrates and Machiavelli lived in a time of political and civil disarray and chaos. Their thoughts on political philosophy and theory are a product of the times in which they lived. Through interpretations of their own political climate, Socrates and Machiavelli produced two schools of political thought that are incredibly different and contrasting. Plato’s Apology and Crito and Machiavelii’s The Prince present these two vastly disparate ideologies.…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Nhs Essay Examples
    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Nhs Essay Examples

    NHS Essay “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” (Winston Churchill). This quote exemplifies the adventure that adolescents face within the common theme of persisting through adversity. Although striving for success instigates difficulties, the process of maturing reveals ones skills through desperate situations.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Comparing Plato And Machiavelli's Ideal Society
    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Comparing Plato And Machiavelli's Ideal Society

    Plato and Machiavelli looked into what is best for people and a government structure that can bring to a better society, happiness, and wealth for everyone. Both Plato and Machiavelli focused on a civil society that would work to secure the rule of law and protecting individual’s freedoms, as well as stability as a whole. They agreed that a government or a ruler would have to work for conditions that will bring prosperity of his citizens and a pleasing and satisfactory way of living. These two philosophers were too realistic in emphasizing a political structure of how government should perform to keep its citizens satisfied overall. Plato, for instance, was expecting an ideal government or a “just’’ society that would promote justice for…

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Comparing Platos Republic Vs. Machiavelli's The Prince
    • 1713 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Comparing Platos Republic Vs. Machiavelli's The Prince

    Plato’s Republic and Machiavelli’s The Prince depict their views of both the duties and the ideal personas that rulers should strive towards. Socrates, in Republic, strives to discover truth in the creation of a hypothetical “perfect city,” in which all citizens are just and fair to each other. His Philosopher King was designed to rule this ideal city, and as such this is a perfect and ideal figure. Having been educated only in the just for his whole life, this Philosopher King is always virtuous, and relies purely on this virtue to be a good ruler for his people.…

    • 1713 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Sports Medicine
    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sports Medicine

    A school has many things to offer a student, whether it is a good education or just time away from home. Many students dedicate their time afterschool to extra-curricular activities, whether it is band, drama, sports or a national honor society of their favorite subject. For my extra-curricular activity I decided to dedicate my time to sports medicine. Sports medicine has taught me teamwork, leadership and respect.…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    MOD 310: Theories Of Leadership
    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages

    MOD 310: Theories Of Leadership

    Leadership Kathy Dunlap Bethel University MOD 310 April 24, 2017 Kameke Payne Leadership No one theory of leadership has ever been accepted by all, but the common thought of leadership is that it is an influence process, occurs within a group, involves goals, and attainment. Some people think leaders are born with a trait that innately makes them leaders, while others theorize that it is a characteristic of an individual, but we have learned that leaders are a product of their development and life experiences. Leaders are concerned with understanding people’s beliefs and gaining their commitment. They function without focusing on the opinions of others, which allows them to think of new ideas and motivate others to develop these…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Compare And Contrast Machiavelli And Socrates
    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Machiavelli And Socrates

    Although Machiavelli and Socrates both lived during times of uncertainty, political fragmentation and violence, their philosophies about how the state should conduct itself are in direct contrast with one another. Machiavelli’s the Prince is founded on the principal that if a ruler wishes to maintain power, he should embody the ideology of pragmatism, while Socrates believes the state should follow him in his commitment to moral purity and justice. The inherent dissonance between these philosophies would lead Socrates to be unsupportive of Machiavelli’s concept of a prince, and consequently the political system Machiavelli would recommend he install, despite his apparent change in rhetoric from the Apology to the Crito. Throughout Plato’s interpretation…

    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    What Are The Similarities Between John Locke And Machiavelli
    • 880 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What Are The Similarities Between John Locke And Machiavelli

    Machiavelli believes that the ruler must take things into his hands and not depend on God to help him rule. The ruler has to work and be worthy of the…

    • 880 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Machiavelli's The Prince Still Relevant Today
    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Machiavelli's The Prince Still Relevant Today

    “All states or dominions which hold or have held sway over mankind are either republics or monarchies” (Machiavelli, 5). Machiavelli states that both monarchies and republics are the most widespread, used forms of government; however, as Machiavelli critiques the way monarchies are run, specifically in Florence under the Medici family, The Prince highlights how republics could be more beneficial. Although The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli, discusses both forms of government, the text is still largely relevant to contemporary society. One example of this is that the overall ideas from the text are still practiced in modern politics and culture, fiction and nonfiction. Furthermore, Machiavelli predicted the outcome of fallen monarchies, which…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Similarities Between Plato And Machiavelli
    • 2022 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Similarities Between Plato And Machiavelli

    Plato and Machiavelli disagree about the circumstances which justify a lie. Plato believes that political leaders must lie if that is necessary to pursue justice and thereby lead the city well. Machiavelli also believes that lying is a method of establishing political order but, unlike Plato, believes that lying should be used as a method to maintain power for power’s sake – not for some greater purpose. Although in most circumstances Machiavelli and Plato disagree, occasionally, they agree. For example, they may agree to lie to the philosopher kings about the marriage lottery system in certain cases.…

    • 2022 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    How Did Plato Write The Republic
    • 2041 Words
    • 9 Pages

    How Did Plato Write The Republic

    Plato wanted a government in which personality was defined by roles and were organized by the needs of human nature. He proposed that those who demonstrate leadership should hold power, and due to this belief, he felt…

    • 2041 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings