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the prince - Coggle Diagram
the prince
political prudence: knowledge of national interest and knows what means to adopt to pursue the national interest
romans exhibit great political prudence which is why the roman republic became a successful imperial power. empowered weaker, disempower the string, manage to exceed competing powers.
romans did what all wise princes should do. regard for present troubles but also for future troubles and avoid with all their industry (don't rely on luck but take action using strategy and tactics) because when one foresees from afar one can easily find a remedy for the troubles, but when you wait,
physician is capable of knowing to diagnose early (hard because symptoms are barely discernible) and ability to prescribe a therapy that cures or mitigates.
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just as those who sketch landscapes place themselves .. similarly, to know the nature of people one needs to be prince and to know well the nature of prince one needs to be of the people.
knowledge of great human action from sources. he is like a sketch artist who sketches a whole landscape, so he has knowledge of the whole of political life. p life is all about rule -> relationship between ruler and ruled. princes (rulers) have knowledge of the nature of the rule of peoples. peoples have knowledge of princes, but their knowledge is partial only. limited by their partial perspective. neither pricnces nor people have knowledge of the whole of political life.
m is not limited in his perspective -> can adopt perspective of people and prince, knowledge of parts of partial character and knoedge of their relation . has knowledge of the whole of political life.
all states or dominion (political societies) are of two types: genus and 2 species of genus. 2 species: principality or republic
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republic: political society in which the citizens live according to the rule of law where the law that they live by is legislated by themselves so that the citizens make the law determined for themselves the law they live by
most principalities are political societies in which there is rule of law. not democratic legislative in principalities
political autonomy. personal autonomy: individual decides to be guided by rules that other people do not live by. (ex vegetarian)
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rooted in experience. experienced in italy the church, spain, and france. -> politically powerful institutions (ancient: church, modern: france)
whoever is the cause of someone's becoming powerful is ruined. (he who empowers others is disempowered by the very ones he empowers.) rule which rarely ever fails
that power has been caused by him either with industry or with force and both of these two are suspect to whoever has become powerful (those who are in power, formally weak, now having become powerful are suspicious of the one who empowered them. because if someone is the cause of what you have, you didn't get it through your own efforts)
general rule: a powerful prince who empowers others is himself at great risk of himself being disempowered by the very one who he empowered.
those who become on power wanted power and now they have it. aware that their power is not power they gained through their own resources. they've been empowered by someone else who is powerful enough to cause empowerment. he who has the power to empower has the power to take away. their power is dependent on the gift giver and it can be taken away
conquering prince has to empower surrounding countries who are weak for allies. has to disempower strong countries.
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sources of knowledge: own experience of modern political affairs, continuous study of the writings of the ancient writers who write about political philosophy (plato, aristotle, romans, old testament)
m wants to provide rules that a political ruler that is wise would follow if he wants to rule successfully.