The Prince (book review)

Oregon Magazine ^ | July 1, 2002 | Peggy Whitcomb

[WaterDragon]

We often 'know' things that aren't true, and one of the things that many of us have believed is that a 'Machiavellian' politician is completely deceitful, without principles, and uncaring for anything except what furthers his personal ambitions. Yet, to actually read Machiavelli's writings is to discover an encompassing warmth, fierce patriotism, and keen perceptions of the requirements of leadership...(snip)

On arming citizens, he says that by arming them, "You make their arms your own....from subjects they are transformed into your partisans...when you disarm your citizens, however, you offend them by showing that, either from cowardliness or from lack of faith, you distrust them; and either conclusion will induce them to hate you....(snip)

For the complete review CLICK HERE

[Citizen Tom Paine]

"The Prince" -The famous analysis of statesmanship and power. Every person on this forum should read it (and Sun Tzu) to understand what is going on in the morld today.

Perhaps his most famous discussion is "Of cruelty and clemency, and whether it is better to be loved or feared.

Read it and ponder.

[Pietro]

bump

[KarlInOhio]

Some selections of the review I found interesting:

"Moreover," he adds, a leader ought to "encourage his citizens peaceably to pursue their affairs, whether in trade, in agriculture, or in any other human activity, so that no one will hesitate to improve his possessions for fear that they will be taken from him, and no one will hesitate to open a new avenue of trade for fear of taxes." Instead, says Machiavelli, "reward those who do these things and those who seek out ways of enriching their city or state."

Someone should send this to the EPA and the Department of the Interior. I know people who think real estate would be a good investment except for the fact that if one bureaucrats thinks that your property _might_ house one endagered species, the value will drop to almost zero.

He tells of one leader who "never gave a thought to anything but deception and never lacked someone on whom to practice it. There was never a man who made promises more persuasively or swore to them more solemnly and kept so few of them as he." Yet, this man was for a while successful because "he knew this side of the world" very well.

Machiavelli knew Bill Clinton?

Machiavelli urges princes not to promote divisiveness among the people because it weakens them and makes them prey to those who would invade and terrorize them. For weak leaders who want greater control over the people, introducing factions is useful, but should only be indulged in during peacetime. In wartime, the citizens will have to be united if they are to overcome their enemies.

And the congressional Rats too!

I've had The Prince on my bookshelf for a while, but I've never gotten around to reading it. It looks like I'll have to dig it up and give it another look.

[rottweiller_inc]

http://www.the-prince-by-machiavelli.com/the-prince/title.html

[Pietro]

This is a nice essay that just barely scratches the surface of Machiavelli's depth. He has truly been maligned unjustly.

[rottweiller_inc]

here is his "The Art of War" also
http://www.constitution.org/ma c/artofwar_.htm

[WaterDragon]

I had the same reaction when I read this, Karl! Almost like reading an analysis of the leaders of different countries today!

[WaterDragon]

Thanks for those links, rottweiller. After reading The Prince, the Art of War is next.

[steverino62]

Please add Mac's Discourses to your reading list, friend, it's the best of all!

[WaterDragon]

A link to the article is HERE Click into it for the whole article. It says this book does include a selection of the Discourses. All of The Prince and several of the Discourses. You are right, the Discourses are simply fabulous, and I have a copy of The Prince that includes all the Discourses.

In fact, whenever you see a copy of The Prince for sale, it will surely also include the Discourses.

[rottweiller_inc]

Thanks for those links, rottweiller. After reading The Prince, the Art of War is next.

glad to help

[WaterDragon]

Have you read any of his plays? I'm thinking of getting those as well. I've heard they're satirical.

[WaterDragon]

bump!

[rottweiller_inc]

No i have'nt as of yet.

[EBUCK]

I'm waiting on my little public library to get this book in. I had to request that TAOW be ordered (at a small cost).

EBUCK

[WaterDragon]

It is incredible that your library doesn't have The Prince! I wonder if this is true of other public libraries?

[Junior]

When I read The Prince I was surprised just how different it was than what I had been led to believe it would be. But then again, I had the same epiphany reading Shakespeare.

[EBUCK]

They are a small library, in their defence. But they do have pleanty of copies of Jane has two mommies in their inventory.

EBUCK

[WaterDragon]

That was my experience as well. In a good translation of Machiavelli, he sounds so calm and sensible, and is so clear and readable. I saw a review at amazon.com by an 8 or 9 year-old boy who seemed to have no problem with it. That's what a good writer does.....makes what he writes perfectly clear and understandable.

That's the difference with this post-modern garbage. Even it's adherents can barely make out what their writers mean. if