MACHIEVELLI

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
BACKGROUND/CONTEXT
• BORN IN 1469 FLORENCE.
• FLORENCE WAS ONE OF THE FIVE CITY-STATES OF ITALY- NAPLES,
MILAN, VENICE, AND STATES CONTROLLED BY POPE.
• BIG KINGDOMS LIKE BRITAIN, FRANCE, SPAIN, GERMANY
INTERFERRED IN THE POLITICS OF ITALY.
• MACHIEVALLI INFLUENCED BY CHAOS & LACK OF UNITY IN ITALY.
• HE WANTED TO SEE ITALY AS A SINGLE UNIFIED NATION LIKE FRANCE
& BRITAIN. Dr Manisha
Ropeta
BACKGROUND/CONTEXT
• TILL 1494, FLORENCE WAS RULED BY “MEDICI FAMILY “.
• IN 1494 MEDICI WERE OVERTHROWNAND REPUBLICAN GOVT. IS
ESTABLISHED IN FLORENCE.
• AT THE AGE OF 29, MACHIEVALLI ENTERED PUBLIC LIFE.
• APPOINTED AS A SECOND CHANCELLOR.
• BECAME MEMBER OF “ TEN OF WAR COMMITTE)”
• WORKS AS A DIPLOMAT FOR 14 YEARS– TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT
KINGDOMS.
Dr Manisha
• MEDICI RETURNS TO POWER– EVERYTHING CHANGES FOR
MACHIAVELLI Ropeta
BACKGROUND/CONTEXT
• IN 1513, MACHIEVALLI IS ARRESTED FOR CONSPIRING AGAINST
MEDICI FAMILY.
• HE IS IMPRISONED & TORTURED FREED UNDER CONDITION
THAT HE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC LIFE.
• GOES TO HIS ANCTESRAL VILLAGE – SECOND HALF OF 1513 WRITES
“THE PRINCE” “ THE DISCOURSE”

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
WORKS- THE PRINCE
• A BOOK ON ART OF STATECRAFT.
• PRESENTS THEORY OF “ PRESERVATION OF STATE”.
• MACHIAVELLI ADVISES PRINCE ON HOW TO GET AND MAINTAIN
POWER
• A HANDBOOK OF REALPOLITIK
• SUPPORTS THE USE OF EVIL MEANS LIKE VIOLENCE, TREACHERY,
CUNNINGNESS, DECEPTION ETC.
❑ “ THE DISCOURSE Dr Manisha
Ropeta
SOURCES OF MACHIAVELLIAN THOUGHTS
• THE SPIRIT OF RENNAISANCE
• ITALIAN POLITY
• GREEK POLITICAL THEORY
• PERSONAL POLITICAL EXPERIENCE

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
METHODOLOGY
• EMPIRICAL METHOD OF OBSERVATION
• OBJECTIVE REALISM & POLITICAL PRAGMATISM
• CONCERNED WITH PRACTICAL OTHER THAN SPECULATIVE POLITICS.
• AMORAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MACHIEVALLI

• “ FOR WHERE THE SAFETY OF THE COUNTRY DEPENDS UPON THE

RESOLUTION TO BE TAKEN, NO CONSIDERATION OF JUSTICE OR
INJUSTICE, HUMANITY OR CRUELTY, NOR OF GLORY OR OF SHAME,
SHOULD ALLOWED TO PREVAIL.”

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
CONCEPTION OF HUMAN NATURE
“ FOR IT IS GOOD GENERAL RULE ABOUT MEN THAT ARE UNGRATEFUL,
FICKLE, LIARS, DECIEVERS, FEARFUL OF DANGER AND GREEDY FOR
GAIN.”
So the basic assumption of Machiavelli about human nature is:
• Selfish
• Fickle
• Egoistic
• Runaway from danger Dr Manisha
Ropeta
• Aggressive / possessive
CONCEPTION OF STATE
• ESSENTIALITY OF STATE: “ men are evil and act only upon compulsion, thus
necessity of coercive force.
• CYCLIC EVOLUTION OF STATE: the state follows a cycle of growth, maturity
& decay
• The doctrine of raison dentate:
It means „Reason of state‟. It implies actions and policies promoting safety
and security of the state.
According to him in politics, one is guided by the harsh realities of political
life which is a struggle for power and survival. The actions of the state must
Dr Manisha
be judged only on the basis of „Raison Dentat‟. .independent, self-sufficient
and well ordered and well maintain state. Ropeta
CONCEPTION OF STATE
• Sovereignty & autonomy of state:
• Machiavellian secularism:
• End of the state:
For Machiavelli absolute state was the End; and for this Means
was power. He said the sole aim of the „Prince‟ was to make the
country strong and united, establish peace and order and expel
the foreign invader.
Dr Manisha
• The doctrine of aggrandizement: Ropeta
NATURE OF RULER- POPULAR MACHIEVALLI
▪ CUNNING & FORCE:
▪ MAINTAINING FEAR & RESPECT IN SUBJECTS:
▪ NO SYMPATHY OR KINDNESS WITH THE SUBJECTS:
▪ INTELLIGENT APPLICATION OF BRUTALITY:
▪ PRINCE SHOULD BE FRUGAL:
▪ DEFENCE-
▪ COMPOSITION OF ARMED FORCES:
CITIZEN- SOLDIERS Dr Manisha
SOLDIERS TRAINING Ropeta
NATURE OF RULER- POPULAR MACHIEVALLI
• NOBILITY-PEOPLE CLASH: ROLE OF PRINCE
• WAR BETWEEN NEIGHBOURS:
• HE WHO CONQUERS A FREE CITY MUST DESTROY IT OR IT WILL
DESTROY HIM:
• IT IS NECESSARY TO BETRAY ONE’S FRIENDS WHEN THE SITUATION
CALLS FOR IT.
• IT IS BETTER TO FAKE RELIGION THAN TO HAVE IT.
• CONSOLIDATE ALL POWER IN ONE’S HANDS, EVEN IF THIS MEANSDr Manisha
KILLING ONE’S OWN BROTHER. Ropeta
NATURE OF RULER- POPULAR MACHIEVALLI
• MEN SOON FORGET THE DEATH OF THEIR FATHER THAN THE LOSS OF
THEIR PATRIMONY
• SUCCESS BRINGS ITS OWN JUSTIFICATION:
• MORALLY CONSCIENTIOUS PERSONS FINISH LAST IN POLITICS,
BRINGING RUIN ON THEMSELVES & THEIR STATE:
• A Prince must have council of wise men and not of flatterers:

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PUBLIC & PRIVATE
MORALITY
“A COMMONWEALTH & A PEOPLE IS GOVERNED IN A DIFFERENT WAY
FROM A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL”
• Prince is above morality because he is in the position to create
morality.
• Critique on traditional moral theory: shifting nature of politics entails
irrelevancy of standard moral codes of conduct in the realm of
political actions.

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
POLITICAL ECONOMY OF VIOLENCE
• A SCIENCE OF CONTROLLED APPLICATION OF FORCE.
INTERNAL FORM OF VIOLENCE: the vitalities of politics could not be
directed without application of force- excessive usage can lead to
hatred.
EXTERNAL FORM OF VIOLENCE: war, imperialism, colonialism

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
WHY APOSTLE OF POWER POLITICS
• POWER-ORIENTED HUMAN NATURE: “SECURITY FOR MAN IS
IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS IT IS CONJOINED WITH POWER.”
• AMORAL POLITICAL APPROACH:
• END JUSTIFY MEANS:
• POWER OF AGGRANDISEMENT:
• NATURE OF ADVICE TO THE RULERS:

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
CRITICAL EVALUATION/ RELEVANCE:
MERITS/CONTRIBUTIONS:
• Laid the foundation of modern political thought –Machiavelli is
regarded as the founder of modern political thought.
• Guide for the Rulers:
Machiavelli’s advice was followed by Cromwell and Napoleon.
Machiavelli’s emphasis upon absolute power and authoritarian rule is
the source of fascist movement.
• The most revolutionary aspect of the Prince:
Dr Manisha
Every state must aim at maximizing its power. The failure of the state in
this enterprise will throw it into great turmoil. Ropeta
CRITICAL EVALUATION/ RELEVANCE:
• Power politics cannot be End, it will lead to autocracy and war.
• Machiavelli ignored individualism i.e. individual liberty, equality,
justice etc. He sacrificed individual at the alter of the state.
• One sided views of human nature – In view of Machiavelli men are
universally bad. This is really a very one sided view of human nature.
He ignores the fact that much of civilization is based on the social and
co-operative instincts of men.
• Utility of war: The sole aim of the prince is to be an expert in
Dr Manisha
managing and organizing a war.
Ropeta