The Art of War

The advice that is given by Machiavelli is presented in a very unscrupulous manner. Many of his recommendations are extremely harsh and immoral. When it comes to whether a prince should be loved or feared Machiavelli states it is better to be feared. It is considered to be alright if a prince has the reputation of being loved, but better to be feared than loved. Fear will captivate the citizens of the nation to do what the prince wants. The actions will be done out of pure fear of the…

“Chivalry: It's the little boy that kisses my hand, the young man who holds the door open for me, and the old man who tips his hat to me. None of it is a reflection of me, but a reflection of them.” -Donna Lynn Hope. The perspective of chivalry is constantly changing and is interpreted differently by each set of eyes. Back in the Middle Ages chivalry was a code of laws for the knights. Today we see the code of chivalry as much differently than what have in the past; however, chivalry today still…

What makes a book stand the test of time, and also remain as a notable perspective within politics; having been written over five-hundred years ago? As for Machiavelli’s The Prince, scholars and politicians continue to find themselves drawing back to many of his perspectives on politics, and the qualities a good ruler. His insights on political leadership has sparked much debate over time, which is exactly why many continue to pursuit an understanding on his viewpoints, and their applications to…

In the written work “The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli the author elaborates on how a prince can only be a strong leader if he engages in duplicity. Machiavelli focused on a more realistic and immoral strategy to keep the people of his time unified, realpolitik a system based on practical rather than moral considerations. The author, Niccolo Machiavelli, goes through great depths to explain why it takes rulers who are “cruel, dishonest, duplicitous, and manipulative.” There are many great…

Niccilò Machiavelli’s political philosophy writing, The Prince, is a piece of writing that intends to teach an upcoming prince an approach of ruling that can guarantee a lasting period of power. Machiavelli states that the number one characteristic that a prince must posse that of virtue. Machiavelli defined virtue as a way that a prince acquires power over a dominion, and later goes on to add to the define by stating that “it is necessary for a prince if he wishes to maintain himself, to learn…

A Good King If someone were to search Google for the definition of ‘a good king’ there would be links taking them to different pages of men throughout history that have earned the title of being a good king. But what made these men good kings? What characteristics or qualities earned them the title of a good king? Most people will say that it was because they were wise and discerning even in the difficult moments. Others will say that they were financially responsible able to plan ahead…

Brian, I completely agree with your discussion board post on the importance of realistic tactics training. The old cliché of “train as we fight” does in fact highlight the need for realistic training so the proper actions can be executed in a timely manner to be effective on the battlefield. The second point you stated on how we must truthfully assess our capabilities as well as that of the enemy is completely correct. If aviators do not train realistically and have the muscle memory to react to…

In Machiavelli’s book “The Prince” he discusses methods to achieve a powerful position for those seeking power and how to maintain it, as well as getting people to submit to their authority. According to Machiavelli, a Prince must heed his book’s teachings and present themselves as a man who should be either feared or loved by the citizens of his kingdom with no exceptions if he wishes to rule with no constraints. But what steps must a prince take to be feared or loved and reign successfully? Or…

Another example of Borgia’s wisdom as a duke can be identified when examining the period of rule after he had taken over Romagna. Machiavelli is especially enthralled by Borgia’s cunning and effective use of cruelty. He even encourages the actions of Borgia to be “imitated” by future princes (29). This example of “cruelty-well-used”, as Machiavelli calls it, is recognized after Borgia notices the civil disunity within his kingdom. The subjects were so used to having their possessions taken from…

What kind of actions should a virtuoso (skillful) prince take? Well, he avoids using other princes' troops or hiring mercenaries to do his dirty work - such a reliance on outside help makes a prince the helpless victim of fortune. He does not come into power through overt crime, nor does he allow himself to gain a reputation for cruelty - but he is able to use crime and cruelty when he needs to, carefully concealing his guilt. A virtuoso prince will not alienate the people he governs, but he…