How did Machiavelli view a republic?

Machiavelli himself despised the moderns of his day as weak, but he also held forth the possibility of a “perpetual republic” that would remedy the weakness of the moderns and correct the errors of the Romans and so establish a political order no longer subject to the vicissitudes of fortune.

What is Machiavelli political thought?

Machiavelli believed that, for a ruler, it was better to be widely feared than to be greatly loved; a loved ruler retains authority by obligation, while a feared leader rules by fear of punishment.

Why is it appropriate to call Machiavelli political science?

Why is it appropriate to call Machiavelli’s work political science? – The Prince is the breakdown of strategy of how to gain and rule a state. – Machiavelli explains the nuts and bolts of everything what he thinks a strong leader should do to rule effectively.

Why is Machiavelli so controversial?

The reason that Machiavelli’s book is so controversial is probably because he does not concern his discussion of politics with morality and ethics.

Who did Machiavelli point to as being a good example of a ruler Why?

The first is suitable to man, the second to animals. But because the first often falls short, one has to turn to the second. Hence a prince must know perfectly how to act like a beast and like a man.” To be a good ruler, the ruler must have the perfect combination of animal and man.

What are the qualities of the ideal Prince According to Machiavelli?

According to Machiavelli, ideal prince is a risk-taker who puts a military on action, as the people respect the warrior. An ideal prince thinks for himself rather than relying on others, knows how to read characters, and does not surround himself with flatterers. He lives in reality, not fantasy.

Who characterized Machiavelli as a teacher of evil?

The most extreme versions of this reading find Machiavelli to be a “teacher of evil”, in the famous words of Leo Strauss (1958: 9–10), on the grounds that he counsels leaders to avoid the common values of justice, mercy, temperance, wisdom, and love of their people in preference to the use of cruelty, violence, fear.

Is The Prince controversial?

You may have guessed by now that the book is about unscrupulous politicians and is considered controversial. Some sees it as a work of political philosophy as it places importance on realism over idealism.