8 thoughts on “Today’s activity”

  1. Chapter 15: Immoral

    In chapter 15 of The Prince, Machiavelli discusses the way that the prince is expected to act versus the way that he does act. He states how the prince should know the necessary times to be immoral, which is when his power is threatened. Along with that, he believes that the prince doesn’t have a choice between being good and bad, as the world is filled with bad people and he must fight to survive in it.
    -Jannah A., Jennifer M.

  2. In chapter 7, Machiavelli draws a distinction between leaders who come into power because of fortune and those who come into power because of ability. He also says that leaders who come into power by fortune have a harder time maintaining that power.

    1. In order to prove his claim, he introduces two leaders: Francesco Sforza and Cesare Borgia. Sforza, with great ability, went from being a private person to Duke of Milan. Borgia, on the other hand, acquired his state from his father and ultimately lost it.
      -Alanis and Gary

    2. In order to prove his claim, he introduces two leaders: Francesco Sforza and Cesare Borgia. Sforza, with great ability, went from being a private person to Duke of Milan. Borgia, on the other hand, acquired his state from his father and ultimately lost it.

  3. Chapter 16: Being Liberal
    Machiavelli talks about being liberal, specifically with money. That a prince shouldn’t care about being mean when taking money from the people.
    – Gianna, Carl

  4. In chapter XVII Machiavelli raises the question of whether it is better for a prince to be loved or feared. He states that a prince should be careful of being considered too benevolent, as this might lead to a lack of respect from his subjects but he should avoid being overly cruel. It seems like he hints that a prince should maintain balance. If a prince must choose between the two ( feared or loved) it is perhaps better to be feared but not to the extent of being considered cruel. Fear commands respect, being considered too cruel or too benevolent are extremes that might lead to the same outcome, treason.

  5. The main idea to chapter 8 of The Prince is that sometimes, in becoming a prince, it is necessary to carry out violence/cruel acts to secure your power, but that you shouldn’t carry out violence too often as to not turn your subjects against you. He gives the examples of Agathocles and Oliverotto, who killed people in order to secure their power, but notes that these acts aren’t virtuous/glorious. Machiavelli ends the chapter by with the quote that encapsulates this idea, which is “He who does otherwise, either from timidity or evil advice, is always compelled to keep the knife in his hand; neither can he rely on his subjects, nor can they attach themselves to him, owing to their continued and repeated wrongs”.
    – Megan McMahon – Owens, Tia Thompson

  6. Chapter 6; Skills and Fortune

    In this chapter, Machiavelli states that a ruler should always rely on their own skillsets in building their own conquests because relying on others will lead them to unforeseen fortune (mostly bad fortune.) He then goes on to state examples of powerful and skilled rulers such as Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, etc. He stated “…Nevertheless, he who has relied least on fortune is established the strongest. Further, it facilitates matters when the prince, having no other state, is compelled to reside there in person.
    But to come to those who, by their own ability and not through fortune, have risen to be princes, I say that Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus, and such like are the most excellent examples….” All this to state that if the ruler relies on nobody other than themself, he should be perfectly fine.

    Layka & Karla

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