Why Is The Prince Unethical

Machiavelli’s The Prince is often described as being harsh, ruthless, or unethical. These reactions are expected, for idealism, theory, and morality played no role in his intentions. His tone is amoral, however, his argument is intended to dismiss and purposefully ignore moral or ethical bias in The Prince. His analysis is essentially a “how-to” guide to obtaining and keeping power. With an approach similar to biopolitics, Machiavelli draws from trends analyzed in historical records to demonstrate pros and cons of adequate and inferior rule over a state. He proposed that according to scientific analysis of historical events, the most feasible process of acquiring and maintaining power is to bypass morality and ethical influence in decision-making, and act on pure strategy and execution. The boldness of his claims intended to inspire careful consideration in the rulers of the time period. The Prince was offered to Medici, the ruler of Florence, to provide practical, straightforward advise to effective leadership. …show more content…
The book proposed, in a step-by-step manner, numerous and efficient ways to effectively secure power over a state. The book’s claims are backed by research of both successful and unsuccessful historical leaderships and empires to devise a well-organized “rulebook” of sorts. If The Prince were altered slightly in context to apply to the world of business and industrialization, the same analytical view would apply and hold true in modern times. The rules and guidelines of a prince in newly acquired power would correlate directly with a new CEO of an international