1469-1527: Machiavelli

Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli the Florentine

This man was a political philosopher. His ideas were scientifically and empirically based on his own experiences. Russell states that ‘much of the conventional obloquy attached to his name is due to the indignation of hypocrites who hate the frank avowal of evil-doing’ (Russell 1946). I think that this is in the context of Machiavelli’s bad reputation. He wrote the book ‘The Prince’ in which he suggests that princes should only do things if it pays to do so.

Savonarola ruled Florence when Machiavelli was in his twenties. The ruler was executed and this had a great impact on Machiavelli, following this in 1498 he got a post in the government and was much involved until the restoration of the Medici in 1512, Machiavelli was against them and as such was arrested. He was given permission to live in the countryside, he became and author and wrote The Prince. Russell says that the book was ‘dedicated to Lorenzo the Second, since he hope (vainly, as it proved) to win the favour of the Medici’ (Russell 1946).

Machiavelli also wrote ‘Discourses’ which is a much more liberal piece of work. Russell writes that ‘those who do not also read the ‘Discourses’ are likely to get a very one sided view of his doctrine’ (Russell 1946).

‘The Prince’ aims to look at the current events of Machiavelli’s own times, a time when power was very corrupt and ‘few rulers were legitimate’ (Russell 1946). Everyone was very cruel and less shocked about being cruel. Russell thinks that today we would see Machiavelli as an ‘artistic connoisseur in statecraft’ (Russell 1946).

Russell says that Machiavelli was ‘intimately acquainted with his villainies’ (Russell 1946). I think that this means that he was not afraid of his own evil nature, of his own natural baseness and vicious acts but rather understood them deeply. He felt that religion had a purpose not in truth and virtue but as a thing that joined people together, Russell calls it a ‘social cement’ (Russell 1946).

Bibliography

Russell, B (1946) History of Western Philosophy. London: Routledge pages 464, 465, 466, 467.