You've probably heard about his book "The Prince."
But you likely didn't read it.
Because you were discusted by the idea of him writing a manual for tyrants, am I not correct?
That's at least why I didn't read it.
Today I learned that there is "strong evidence" indicating that Niccolo wrote it to get his old job back.
Well, that makes exactly zero sense to me.
When the Medicis reclaimed their power in 1512 he had been a long-time civil servant of the City of Florence.
The Medicis suspected him of conspiracy, imprisoned and tortured him, before they sent him into exile.
In Il Principe he wrote a value-free description of how a wise prince rules his people.
It was based on first-hand observations of the rulers of Florence and other states as well as on indepth inspection of historical accounts.
IMO the book puts at full display the way rulers treat us underlings, for everyone to see.
Niccolo initially dedicated the book to Giuliano de' Medici, Lorenzo's uncle.
After Giuliano's death in 1516, he rededicated it to Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici.
He supposedly wrote "The Prince" as a "token of devotion" to the Medici family.
Niccolo made efforts to have the Medici family see and read "The Prince," but there's no clear evidence that they did so during his lifetime.
If he did this to receive employment at the House of Medicis he must have been a complete moron.
But his writings don't indicate that he was.
Far from it.
If the Medicis did read Il Principe they probably hated him even more than they had done before.
Because publishing it could have been a disaster for them.
The book first became available five years after Niccolo passed away.
I gave AI two tasks today, to tell me about his teaching of using 1) deception and 2) religion as political instruments.
Below you can read the answers.
After you have read them you may ask yourself if Machiavelli's recipes makes sense when you try to wrap your head around today's politics in your beloved representative democracies.
Enjoy!
1) Give me a brief summary about what Machiavelli says about why and how a ruler should deceive his people.
AI says:
Machiavelli argues that a ruler should be willing to deceive his people when necessary to maintain power and achieve his goals.
He believes it is better for a prince to be feared than loved, as fear is more reliable.
Machiavelli advises rulers to cultivate an appearance of virtue and morality, while being prepared to act against those virtues when required.
He states that "people are so simple, and so subject to present necessities, that anyone who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived".
According to Machiavelli, rulers should use deception strategically to:
• Maintain their authority and power
• Manipulate public perception
• Outmaneuver rivals and enemies
• Achieve political objectives
However, he cautions that a ruler must be careful not to be hated, as this could lead to rebellion.
The key is to use deception judiciously while maintaining an outward appearance of virtue and strength
2) Give me a brief summary about what Machiavelli says about why and how a ruler should use religion in his politics.
AI says:
Machiavelli viewed religion primarily as a practical tool for rulers to maintain power and control over their subjects.
Here's a brief summary of his key points:
• Religion as a unifying force: Machiavelli believed religion could be used to unite people and garner support for the ruler.
• Maintaining stability: Religious traditions provide a sense of predictability and control, helping to keep society stable.
• Controlling the populace: By respecting and protecting religious practices, rulers can instill fear of disobedience and promise rewards in the afterlife for compliance.
• Appearance of piety: Machiavelli advised rulers to appear religious and virtuous outwardly, even if they weren't genuinely devout.
• Legitimizing authority: Religion could be used to make a ruler's actions seem divinely sanctioned, even if they were harsh or unjust.
• Spectacle and ritual: Religious ceremonies and displays could be used to reinforce the ruler's power and intimidate potential dissenters.
• Instilling virtues: Machiavelli saw religion as a means to cultivate desirable qualities in citizens.
In essence, Machiavelli advocated for a pragmatic approach to religion in politics, viewing it as a powerful tool for maintaining authority rather than a moral imperative.
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