Niccolo Machiavelli Better For A Prince To Be Feared...

Introduction Niccolo Machiavelli (1810) asks whether it is better for a prince to be loved or feared in The Prince. The purpose of this essay is to argue that it is better for a prince to be feared than loved since the duty of a prince is to remain in power by any means necessary, using the example of Tsar Ivan. Supporting evidence of conflicting viewpoints will be analysed and evaluated throughout to help reach this judgment. The use of contemporary examples: President Trump and Colonel Gaddafi will also be considered to address this question. The study of Tsar Ivan will be instrumental in asserting this hypothesis, showing that for a prince, it is much more important and better to be feared rather than loved. Machiavelli on why it is†¦show more content†¦Perhaps these bonds have become much stronger in contemporary society than in the past or certainly at the time Machiavelli was writing. An online newspaper article for the Huffington Post highlighted how strong a bond can be. The supporter said: I’ve got a 6-foot cardboard box of President Trump in my house and I salute that every single day ... I tell him, ‘Mr. President, I pray for your safety today. (Herreria, 2017). This perfectly captures the loyalty that people have for a leader they love and this can be applied to a prince, although one could argue President Trump is more feared than loved. Nevertheless, this goes against Machiavellis rash generalisations that men easily fall out of love. However, Machiavellis implies that a leader who strives to be loved would avoid punishing his people; hence this leader is vulnerable to a transgression by his people since there are no repercussions for opposing his rule. The example of Scipio he used portrays this perfectly as his army rebelled due to his kindness. The absence of repercussions for opposing a prince hence can lead to their authority being undermined, which suggests that it is better for a prince to be loved rather than feared. However, this ignores that people can be blinded by their love for a leader, robbing them of their ability to transgress in the way that he describes; the supporter of President Trump demonstrates this perfectly. Contemporary Examples of Machiavellis Concept of Fear and Love TheShow MoreRelatedMachiavelli’s Political Ideas and Influence1477 Words   |  6 Pagesembodied political realism was Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli was a Florentine born in 1469 and lived during the crux of the Renaissance. Before his career as an author Machiavelli was a Florentine ambassador in France and The Holy Roman Empire. Machiavelli studied Renaissance humanism and political realism. As a reaction to what he saw in the north, In 1513 Machiavelli wrote The Prince, which explained his ideas and experiences from his time as an ambassador. The Prince was a how-to book on how toRead More##y And Cruelty In Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince763 Words   |  4 PagesNiccolo Machiavelli. 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