Prince Book Report
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Published by Antonio Blado d’Asola in 1532
176 pages
Claudia Chapman, AP European History, January 3, 2014
In The Prince by Machiavelli he explains how to get and maintain political power. The novel is centered on Italy’s government in the 1500’s and the Machiavelli’s struggle to help Italy escape the humiliation of the world. In the novel he presents types of principalities such as hereditary principalities, mixed principalities, new principalities, and ecclesiastical principalities. It also discussed types of armies, Machiavelli talks about mercenaries who are not trustworthy, auxiliaries who are dangerous because they are loaned to you, and native troops who are desirable, and mixed troops who are composed of all types of armies. Machiavelli explains in his novel how a prince is supposed to act as a ruler to Italy. The final thing Machiavelli talks about in his novel is Italy’s current political state. Machiavelli raves how the past rulers of Italy have lost their states by ignoring the issues of principality and armies that Machiavelli explains in The Prince. The novel concludes by Machiavelli explaining how the Medici family can help save Italy from its turmoil and humiliation from foreign countries and save Italy from oppression. It is said Machiavelli’s thoughts were unusual and cruel. Machiavelli stated in The Prince that to rule a country well you have to be “ruthless” and have an “evil” mentally as a leader to proficiently run a country. Machiavelli’s perspective remains important and relevant for many reasons. One reason is, “Human nature has not changed. Hence, his insights about politics are still valid.” and another reason is, “Business is an important part of our modern life and businesses are essentially autocratic institutions that operate much like the Renaissance principalities that he wrote about in The Prince” (Machiavelli). Machiavelli’s perspective is
Published by Antonio Blado d’Asola in 1532
176 pages
Claudia Chapman, AP European History, January 3, 2014
In The Prince by Machiavelli he explains how to get and maintain political power. The novel is centered on Italy’s government in the 1500’s and the Machiavelli’s struggle to help Italy escape the humiliation of the world. In the novel he presents types of principalities such as hereditary principalities, mixed principalities, new principalities, and ecclesiastical principalities. It also discussed types of armies, Machiavelli talks about mercenaries who are not trustworthy, auxiliaries who are dangerous because they are loaned to you, and native troops who are desirable, and mixed troops who are composed of all types of armies. Machiavelli explains in his novel how a prince is supposed to act as a ruler to Italy. The final thing Machiavelli talks about in his novel is Italy’s current political state. Machiavelli raves how the past rulers of Italy have lost their states by ignoring the issues of principality and armies that Machiavelli explains in The Prince. The novel concludes by Machiavelli explaining how the Medici family can help save Italy from its turmoil and humiliation from foreign countries and save Italy from oppression. It is said Machiavelli’s thoughts were unusual and cruel. Machiavelli stated in The Prince that to rule a country well you have to be “ruthless” and have an “evil” mentally as a leader to proficiently run a country. Machiavelli’s perspective remains important and relevant for many reasons. One reason is, “Human nature has not changed. Hence, his insights about politics are still valid.” and another reason is, “Business is an important part of our modern life and businesses are essentially autocratic institutions that operate much like the Renaissance principalities that he wrote about in The Prince” (Machiavelli). Machiavelli’s perspective is