Home
Class Notes (1,100,000)
CA (630,000)
UTSG (50,000)
Political Science (3,000)
POL200Y1 (300)
Janice Stein (50)
Lecture 13

POL200Y1 Lecture 13: Introduction to Machiavelli's The Prince

School
University of Toronto St. George
Department
Political Science
Course Code
POL200Y1
Professor
Janice Stein
Lecture
13
This preview shows page 1. to view the full 4 pages of the document.
POL200Y1Lecture13Notes
Machiavelli:Shocking,YetFamiliar
● Machiavellishouldnotbeconsideredasaspeakerofevilbutratheramorebenevolentfigure;a
“democratindisguise”
○ Machiavelliwasnodemocratinanyway
■ Herecognizedandtheorizedthenatureofpoliticalpowerinhumansocieties
■ Herecognizestheneedtoacknowledgethenecessityofsecuringthefavourofthepeople
becausetheyproviderulersthegreatestsourceofmilitarypower
■ Hisideasprovidedthefundamentaldevelopmentsofdemocraticpower
● Herejectedcorrelationsbetweenhumannatureandthecosmos;hebelievedin
selfdetermination
● Question:Whatifpietyandotherbenevolentidealsdidnotaddup?
● Machiavelliwasknowledgeableabouttradition;herealizeditwasdishonestaboutpowerand
destructivebecausetheydon’tfunctioninpoliticallife
○ Heasksthisquestion:“Whatisthebetterwaytocreatepeace?
● Heclaimstohave‘unveiledanewcontinent’inpoliticallifethroughhisideasregardingpower,
justasChristopherColumbushadfoundtheNewWorld
● Machiavelli’stimewastheItalianRenaissance(‘Rebirth’),wherethemeaningsofclassical
worksfromGreeceandRomewerereinterpreted
● Hisideologyhasmadesomanysuccessfulchangesthatheandhisteachingsarefamiliar,
particularlyinregardstoclassicalthought
● Machiavellirationalizesacquisitivepassions,suchasgreed
○ Greedisnolongeravice,butratheravirtueinMachiavellianterms
● Machiavellicanbeconsideredrevolutionarybyadvocatingselfdeterminationtorepudiatethe
idealofsocialhierarchy
● Tohispiouscontemporaries,Machiavelliwasconsideredshocking,buttomoderndaycitizens,
heisconsideredacceptablebecausethesepeoplelivetheMachiavellianlifestyle,onewayor
another
DedicatoryEpistle
●ThePrince
iswrittenfor‘thosewithoutmuchtime’
● ItwasnotablydedicatedtoLorenzodeMedici
○ HewasthegrandsonofLorenzotheMagnificent,whoruledFlorencefor33years(hencehis
title‘theMagnificent’)
○ Hewasasmalltime,unknownrulerwithnoaccomplishmentstohisname
● MachiavelliintendedthattheworkbededicatedtoLorenzo’sunclePopePiusIII
● ItisspeculatedthattheworkwasmeanttogetMachiavellihiredbytheMedici,with
considerationforthetortureheenduredatthehandsoftheMedici
●ThePrince
ispresentedasthegreatestgiftMachiavellicouldoffer
You're Reading a Preview

Unlock to view full version