... concerning power and community has been touched upon by philosophers and has not solely been the subject of politicians or monarchs. Both Niccolò Machiavelli, in his writings "The Prince- and "Discourses-, and Plato, in his work "The Republic-, address the concepts of power and community in relation to politics and leadership. According to Plato the primary duty of government is to allow people to live in their respective ... that neither can be totally had. Plato in the "Republic- views the state as a grand version of the individual. He states that the soul of the individual is compri...

• Word Count: 2354
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography

... met. One condition is that the ruler has the backing of the populace, and this backing would most likely be due to the fact that the ruler is "one of them". The other condition is that the ruler is elevated to such status by "the favor of the elite" (p. 438). However, the ruler placed in power by the elite faces a difficult task of holding that position. The elite who put a ruler in ... to analyse his version of political structure to establish a possible bias. It would also be beneficial to discuss and compare another philosopher's account to the nature of politics, and in this instance...

• Word Count: 3868
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography

... detrimental to his empire will be vices. Machiavelli did not so much redefine the term "virtue- but placed it in the perspective of a realist. In a certain sense, perhaps Thrasymachus was right when he said, "justice or right is simply what is in the interest of the stronger party."" (The Republic, Plato, pg. 19) If by "right- one could mean what furthers oneself and one's people. If, in a ... realistic interpretation of the word, "virtue- also means what will bring one's prosperity, then "virtue- ... is also in the interest of the stronger party if his course of action is in his best ...

• Word Count: 2118
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... World Dictionary defines lying as the following: to make a statement or statements that one knows to be false, especially with the intent to deceive. This definition isn't completely correct, as it is possible to lie without making a false statement and without the intention of deceiving. Aristotle in his Ethics maintained that it is never permissible to lie, while Plato in The Republic allows doctors and statesmen ... to lie occasionally for the good of their patients and for the common wealth. Kant allowed a lie under absolutely no conditions. (Slater) St. Augustine created a doctrine...

• Word Count: 2650
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... make war, and protect its citizens from attacks by other states. The ruler, therefore, is justified in doing whatever is necessary to maintain the country, even if it is unjust. On the other hand, Plato argues a ruler can never be unjust. In spite of the fact, Machiavelli is greatly influenced by the Greek and Latin classics, and by the bible, he takes a critical stance in dealing ... not of moral character, but of what is best or the utilitarian needs of the State. Virtu is characterized by its flexibility because the ruler is given the prerogative to mold it in consonance to a given s...

• Word Count: 4508
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... to bring up the ancient thinker Plato. In the Republic, Plato outlines many ideas which parallel Machiavelli's. Both support this converted form of fascism, a celebration of governing power. Plato advocates a true aristocracy, or rule by the best philosopher-kings, and Machiavelli essentially advocates rule by the best man--"best" as evidenced by who can get to the top. Both agreee on the idea of the Noble Lie, or lie told by the leader to the believing masses ... . Aditionally (and this comes straight from the Republic; the idea of a coupling, a marriage, inherent both in Plato's words ...

• Word Count: 1699
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Socrates accepted actions that were to the benefit of friends and detriment of enemies as the standard definition of justice (Plato I.332b). Though in practice Machiavelli deviates away from this idea, it is not to say that he has rejected justice outright. It would seem that to Machiavelli, justice is a duty owed to the republic more strongly than a duty owed ... a system of injustices carried out in the name of the growing the republic. A plebeian class being engaged in the expansion of the republic is one which will be less likely to seek out revolts and revolutions, and is far more ...

• Word Count: 2733
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... of his most important duties included missions to the French king (1504, 1510-1511), the Holy See (1506), and to the German emperor (1507-1508). One of his contributions to his state was in the military defense of the Republic of Florence. In 1510, he was inspired by his reading of Roman history, so he organized a citizen militia for the Republic (http://www.biography.com). He organized this ... two daughters and four sons. He later retired in 1512, and in 1513 he re-retired. Although he accomplished a lot, he was still surrounded by controversy. In August 1512, a Florentine family, th...

• Word Count: 949
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... way, which made it easy for anyone to read and interpret. Simply stated, Machiavelli believes that " for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails." (Machiavelli ch. XVII). Therefore, it is ultimately better to be feared than to ... to appear to always do what's right, but the reality of human nature in the 1500s and in the 2000s presents the need to be cruel and harsh in the name of self-preservation at times. This acknowledgement ...

• Word Count: 2510
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the heels of the Middle Ages, and was spawned by the birth of the philosophy of humanism, which emphasized the importance of individual achievement in a wide range of fields. The early humanists, such as writer Francesco Petrarch, studied the works of the ancient Greeks and Romans for inspiration and ideology, mixing the philosophies of Plato and other ancient thinkers with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Under the influence of the humanists, literature and the ... idealist, or right wing fascist? In actuality, both, as well as neither. Machiavelli lived during the period of...

• Word Count: 455
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... an "idealist" perfect society. In Machiavellis" The Prince, written to the ruler of Florence at the time, Lorenzo de" Medici, he analyzes the characteristics of numerous past rulers. In doing so, Machiavelli presents Medici with a sort of guidebook of successful political practices. Machiavelli goes against Platonic philosophy. Whereas Plato believed that human kind was virtuous by nature, with evil men being but a ... small faction of the species, Machiavelli felt that it was the virtuous who were a minority in a world of evil men. Machiavelli goes on to say that ... and subsequently no...

• Word Count: 649
• Approx Pages: 3