Machiavelli (2)
- Created by: Olivia Grace Matthews
- Created on: 16-05-16 13:11
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- Machiavelli (2)
- A New Ethics
- Cicero
- It is always rational to be moral
- Expediency can never conflict with moral rectitude
- Honesty is the best policy
- Some acts are so wicked that not even a wise man would use the to save his country
- Only by moral methods can we truly obtain our desires
- Machiavelli's Rejoinder
- A wise Prince will 'be prepared to act immorally when this becomes necessary
- The Prince will also be flexible: 'Must be prepared to vary his conduct'.
- Individual vs Common Interest
- Common good makes cities great
- Virtu for citizens and rulers involves advancing general good
- Corruption is when individual interests are pursued at the expense of common good
- Best way to get people to behave in a virtuous way is to terrorize them
- Religion and Humanism
- Machiavelli rejects Christian virtues
- Religion can be useful as means of social control
- Ancient religion of romans or paganism = preferable
- Rejects humanist morality
- Machiavelli's Dilemma
- A Prince must acquire the power to 'not be good'
- But must also not acquire the reputation of a wicked man as this would take his position away
- Appear to be good and considered to be liberal, merciful and of 'great merit'.
- But learn how to 'addle the brains of main with trickery'.
- Hypocrisy is the way forward
- 1. People are simple-minded and prone to self-deception
- 2. When judging the behaviour of Princes, they don't have much to judge but appearance
- A Prince must acquire the power to 'not be good'
- A New Ethics
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