The Prince Themes

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The Prince

1.) Machiavelli wrote The Prince because he wanted to win the favor of Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici by dedicating him the book. He also just wanted to give general advice on leadership and power, as well as draw attention to his belief that a prince should be more successful over being good and honest.

2.) The major themes of The Prince are Love vs Fear; a prince should be loved to stay in power, but his people should also have a sense of fear from him so they obey him. Power; good laws and a good military help to stay in control of his people and of his area of land. Hatred; if a prince is hated by his people, he will not last very long. A prince must make sure he avoids being hated by the people he rules over.

3.) The role …show more content…
Kind-Hearted- Must show kindness so he can be loved. Good Fortune/Luck- A main characteristic for a good prince/Machiavellian ruler. Strong, Brave, and Courageous- Necessary qualities that every great man in history has to have. Avoiding to be Hated but also be Feared- A prince/Machiavellian ruler cannot try to rule a country that hates him since he has to have the people support him. Yet, his people should also be a little threatened and scared by him so they obey him. General Wisdom- A prince/Machiavellian ruler must be wise in general and know how and when to make decisions. Trust in Nobody- A prince/Machiavellian ruler must be very careful because anyone can betray him if they end up wanting what he has. Noble- A prince/Machiavellian ruler must be noble in order for him to be loved by his people. Paranoid of his Advisors- Has to be cautious of not being backstabbed by friends, and must also keep enemies close to know what they are up too. Observant- Has to be very careful at all times of his surroundings and for any problems that could develop, and he must never leave anything to

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