01:510:337 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Policraticus
15 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Gives advice to medici rulers on how to stay in power. Merciful to the majority (be cruel to a few, like executions, then. Be harsh to the army to keep them in line generous to the majority of subjects: certain vices are good and can be seen as virtues, deceitful of population. Since other people are deceitful (fear of human nature) and will get the better of you (p. 62) ^ says all the above may not work in every context so be. Religion careful with circumstance: implicitly anti-church because it"s amoral, )t"s good to seem devout, pope treated as (secular) princes. Associates these people with some of the vices he thinks are necessary. Note: he discusses how the end justifies the means (keep prince in power) gives advice that helps the prince but is also good for the people.
