The Discourses & The Prince

a) In The Prince, Machiavelli indicates at the outset the two types of government:

All the governments and forms of dominion that have had and now have rule over men have been and are either republican or princely (Machiavelli The Prince 95).

At the beginning of his second chapter, he states that he will omit a discussion of republics "because I have elsewhere dealt with them at length" (Machiavelli The Prince 96), which some have taken to be a reference to The Discourses. Machiavelli describes the nature of both types of government in his two books. Leo Strauss notes that the writings of Machiavelli promote "value-judgments" (Strauss 181). This is especially clear in The Prince as he offers advice to the prince on a wide variety of topics related to governance and the maintenance of control.

Machiavelli set out to instill in the people of his time an udnerstanding of the republicanism of the Romans, and he draws parallels between ancient and modern history with the intention that his readers would

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achiavelli, The Prince 56-57). In general, Machiavelli placed his emphasis on the strong king, or prince, as the individual charged with control of government and almost required to take whatever means he deemed necessary to accomplish his goals. Yet, Machiavelli in The Discourses finds that the masses are more aware and more consistent than a prince. He begins with an idea he says will not be popular: I claim, then, that for the failing for which writers blame the masses, any body of men one cares to select may be blamed, and especially princes; for anyone who does not regulate his conduct by laws will make the same mistakes as the masses are guilty of (Machiavelli, The Discourses 252). on this level, princes and the masses are equal. Many writers have claimed that the masses are fickle, but machiavelli argues with this idea: For when the populace is in power and is well-ordered, it will be stable, prudent and grateful, in much the same way, or in a better way, than is a prince, however wise he be thought. And, on the other hand, a prince who contemns the laws, will be more ungrateful, fickle and imprudent than is the populace (Machiavelli, The Discourses 254). Princes may be superior in drawing up laws, says Machiavell
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Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)

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