MHIS121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Jean Bodin, Antithesis, Endemic Warfare
22 Aug 2018
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Wars: these theories develop in direct response to warfare, first war and related thinker wasn"t a sectarian war italian wars (dynastic conflict between kings of france and spain, fighting over who is the superpower in europe. Niccolo machiavelli: man who lives through early stages of italian wars was niccolo. Machiavelli: advocates power of the state in the prince", in the prints, machiavelli almost says the ends justify the means", first person to articulate what we"d call reason of state", primary purpose of govt. is self-preservation. Therefore, machiavelli argues that a ruler must be prepared whatever is necessary to preserve his state: need to be prepared to be ruthless when required, breaks with tradition of e. political writings kings needed to be good. Christians and moral etc: prince should be loved and kind, but humans are nasty so you must be ruthless, principle purpose of state is self-preservation.
