Machiavelli: the prince

This position, whilst holding prestige during the second Republic, ultimately became Machiavelli's downfall, as no government following dared to trust him. The end of this second Republic came in 1512, when Aragon defeated France, and the Medici's were allowed back into Italy. Machiavelli remained desperate to remain a staple figure in Italy's politics, and he put much effort forth into gaining the favour of the Medici's. The Medici's ignored his appeals, and had him imprisoned and tortured along with the other Republicans. Even this did not deter Machiavelli from propositioning the Medici government, but once again his efforts were wasted. He was eventually exiled to his country home at San Casciano, where he began to reflect on Italy's political situation more deeply, and wrote books on the subject. Machiavelli's first-hand experience of Italy's politics greatly influenced his writing, and he felt he had seen enough to justify what he felt a good ruler would constitute. .
             The source within the textbook is a very famous excerpt taken from the 17th chapter of The Prince. It states that a good ruler should prefer to be feared than loved. Machiavelli believes it safer, as, in his theory, all men are wicked. They are ungrateful, fickle, feigners and dissemblers, avoiders of danger, eager for gain. He believes that as long as the ruler is of use to them, they will obey. The second, however, that the ruler is not of use to them, they will betray him in the blink of an eye. Love attaches men with a feeling of obligation, but since men are wicked, when their interest is at stake, they will break these ties of obligation immediately. Fear binds men because they are afraid of punishment, and this tie is much stronger. It is then in their selfish interest to obey, and avoid the pain and punishment. Fear ensures more thoroughly and more consistently that the people will be subordinate, and this is necessary for a ruler's one, main goal, as have already been assessed; he believes that power is the only viable goal a ruler should have.