Virtue in Thomas More and Niccolo Machiavelli
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This study will compare the views of both political and private virtue expressed by Thomas More in Utopia and Niccolo Machiavelli in The Prince. The study will argue that More presents virtue as a largely ideal set of behaviors for both the public and the private man, based on conventional and religious standards, with socialistic elements included with respect to the abolishment of private property as a requisite for the social order needed for the practice of such virtue. More's views on virtue reflect a generally positive view of human nature, although he is worldly enough to know that human beings are likely not perfectible in this world. For the practice of the virtue he advocates, he must believe that human beings, while flawed, are capable of virtuous behavior if social conditions are favorable. Machiavelli, on the other hand, in both public and private matters, advocates the most ruthless behavior necessary for the leader who wishes to maintain power in a world in which human nature is itself selfishly ruthless and without virtue. Virtue to Machiavelli is whatever action is required by the leader in dealing with threats from within or without. Whereas More bases his concept of virtue on a positive view of human nature, Machiavelli sees human and political relationships as rooted in selfishness, requiring the most pragmatic, amoral or immoral behavior. In delineating the requirements of leadership, Machiavelli is concerned only with the maintenance of power, rathe
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ally counter-productive, except when used as a tactic to acquire or keep power. Leaving no doubt as to his view that such pragmatic "ingenuity" should be used in private as well as public or political matters, Machiavelli writes:
Now there remains to be seen what ought to be the criteria and actions of a prince in dealing with his subjects and friends. . . . A man who wishes to profess goodness at all times must fall to ruin among so many who are not good. Whereby it is necessary for a prince who wishes to maintain his position to learn how not to be good, and to use it or not according to necessity (Machiavelli 127).
By the phrase "so many who are not good," Machiavelli expresses his view of the basic lack of goodness in human nature. He believes that the effective leader should not be bad or evil or cruel or coercive for no purpose. If "acting" conventionally virtuous proves effective in controlling the people and winning their obedience, the Prince is urged by Machiavelli to do so. However, because Machiavelli believes that human nature is selfish, he believes that on a pragmatic level the Prince will be required to use coercion or war as a means to the end: "A prince . . . should have no other goal or thought . . . but w
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Approximate Word count = 1592
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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