SCRIPT
Title: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Slide 2: Summary
In this lecture, we will go through The Prince by Machiavelli while deeply delving into:
• Philosophical theories of Human Nature; concepts of History, Fortune, Free Will
• Comparison with previous generation of Italian Renaissance philosophers on similar notions
• Whether it is relatable today to our political philosophies or leaders.
Slide 3: Who was Machiavelli, and who would you consider and Machiavellian?
• Niccolo Machiavelli was “an immoral cynic who supposedly considered the end to justify the means” (Jared Diamond in O’Rourke, 2013).
v Consider: At the end of this discussion, you will be required to agree or disagree with the statement above. Was Machiavelli evil?
• Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, writer, historian and politician during the renaissance period.
• Among his numerous literary works, The Prince put him at the center of political science and earned him the prominence and legacy that remains centuries after his death in 1527.
• A Machiavellian is commonly considered a scheming and unscrupulous person who is only interested in the end results rather than the means of obtaining the results.
Slide 4: Division of State Powers
· All powers since antiquity have been principalities or republics
· Principalities are either new or inherited
Slide 5: On Princedoms and how to acquire them…
· New principalities are acquired through strength or sheer luck
· Inheriting or conquering
Slide 6: The Prince
• The Prince comes barely after Machiavelli’s torture by the Medici who saw him as a rebel against their government. Machiavelli boasts of having said nothing despite the atrocious nature of his persecution.