Machiavelli Essay, Research Paper

The first great political philosopher of the Renaissance was Nicolo Machiavelli

(1469-1527). His famous treatise, The Prince, stands apart from all other political

writings of the period insofar as it focus on the practical problems a monarch

faces in staying in power, rather than more speculative issues explaining the

foundation of political authority. As such, it is an expression of realpolitik, that is,

governmental policy based on retaining power rather than pursuing ideals.

Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy at a time when the country was in

political upheaval. Italy was divided between four dominant city-states, and each

of these was continually at the mercy of the stronger foreign governments of

Europe. Since 1434 Florence was ruled by the wealthy Medici family. Their rule

was temporarily interrupted by a reform movement, begun in 1494, in which the

young Machiavelli became an important diplomat. When the Medici family

regained power in 1512 with the help of Spanish troops, Machiavelli was tortured

and removed from public life. For the next 10 years he devoted himself to writing

history, political philosophy, and even plays. He ultimately gained favor with the

Medici family and was called back to public duty for the last two years of his life.

Machiavelli’s greatest work is The Prince, written in 1513 and published after his

death in 1532. The work immediately provoked controversy and was soon

condemned by Pope Clement VIII. Its main theme is that princes should retain

absolute control of their territories, and they should use any means of expediency

to accomplish this end, including deceit. Scholars struggle over interpreting

Machiavelli’s precise point. In several section Machiavelli praises Caesar Borgia, a

Spanish aristocrat who became a notorious and much despised tyrant of the

Romagna region of northern Italy. During Machiavelli’s early years as a diplomat,

he was in contact with Borgia and witnessed Borgia’s rule first hand. Some believe

that Machiaveli saw Borgia as the model prince. Some readers initially saw The

Prince as a satire on absolute rulers such as Borgia, which showed the

repugnance of arbitrary power (thereby implying the importance of liberty).

However, this theory fell apart when, in 1810, a letter by Machiavelli was

discovered in which he reveals that he wrote The Prince to endear himself to the

ruling Medici family in Florence. To liberate Italy from the influence of foreign

governments, Machiavelli explains that strong indigenous governments are

important, even if they are absolutist.

Machiavelli played an important role in the political aspect of the

Renaissance in northern Italy. His novel, The Prince, became the most famous

political writing of this period. His ideas comparing a monarchy to a republic

made him the first and probably best known political philosopher of the

Renaissance.