Machiavelli

• 'Using clever, but often dishonest methods that decieve people so you can win power or control'. Deception is for the 'common good'

Virtue and Politics

• Emphasised glory
• Good men can sometimes lead to bad regimes
• Virtu = qualities that enable man to master fortuna

Method

• Emphasised empiricism and realism. 'Real truth of the matter than imagination of it'.
• Starting from facts. and The end justifies the means
• Well-being + security of state outweighs other considerations
• 'Fiat Justifia, pereat mundus' ... = 'Let justice be done, even if the world would perish'.
• Machiavelli was a consequentialist

Prince: Vices and Virtues

• To be liberal, merciful, truthful
• Prasieworthy to act like this BUT may make you fail at being a ruler

Learning 'not to be good'

• 'Use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires'.
• 'Any man who is good all the time is bound to come to ruin'
• A prince who wants to keep his authority must learn not to be good.

Virtu: The Lion and the Fox

• Cicero: Wrong may be done by force or by fraud. Both these ways are bestial (Not actions of real man)
• Force - Typifies Lion and Fraud - Typifies Fox
• Two ways of acting - Prince must resort to 2nd and…