Machiavelli And Socrates - 1713 Words

Socrates and Niccolà ² Machiavelli were both political philosophers who lived through corruption, violence, and political restlessness. These circumstances prompted them to develop their own solutions for their respective societies. This included the creation of a stable political system with a strong and effective leader through the examination of the faults of said societies. To Machiavelli, this leader is known as the â€Å"Prince.† He believes that the Prince should be pragmatic in his actions, and act with the good of the state in mind or in other words, he believes in statecraft. He believed that the Prince should be someone with good foresight and does not act without recklessly. The Prince has to be willing to do what is necessary to†¦show more content†¦First, Machiavelli thinks a good Prince is able to do whatever is necessary to preserve the state because it is the most important thing. Socrates would see this as an opportunity for a bad Prince to come int o power and do whatever he wishes or the corruption of a good Prince. Although Machiavelli is against a Prince being cruel, that does not mean that said Prince will not become cruel. Through cruel acts, the Prince is opening himself to evil by believing that the acts are for the good of the state. Socrates would probably come to the conclusion that the cruel acts will become easier for the Prince, and there may be a point where the Prince will do something cruel without a second thought, regardless of whether or not it is good for the state. He even went so far as to say that â€Å"it is much Oladimeji-Stevens 3 more difficult to avoid wickedness, for it runs faster than death† (Socrates, Plato). Another issue Socrates would notice is how the Prince has to be a master of manipulation by Machiavellian standards. Machiavelli deemed it â€Å"unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them (Machiavelli, 85).† This could lead to future deception from the Prince towards the people because the Prince could manipulate the people into believing that everything he is doing is for the good of the state. He would characterize theShow MoreRelatedMachiavelli And Socrates1579 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates both lived during turbulent, political times. Machiavelli in Florence, Italy and Socrates in Athens. Machiavelli’s The Prince outlines the necessary features and traits of a sovereign, primarily, a Prince. It served as a handbook to effective rulership in the 16th century. By analyzing Machiavelli’s belief that a prince should be strategically feared, the role of free will , and the role of the people , I will argue that Machiavelli hasRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates896 Words   |  4 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates are two of the most prominent philosophers of history. Each men are characterized by developing distinct schools of thought regarding individual rights and statehood. Machiavelli’s The Prince is a manual for rulers: lessons based on empirical observations of history. In The Apology written by Plato, Socrates delivers a justification to an Athenian court. It is notRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1681 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates, in his early works, maintained a steadfast distance from involvement in politics, making a comparison or evaluation of a political system in his persona technically impossible. To claim that Socrates would or would not be supportive of any political system might then seem irresponsible, a presumptuous analysis not fitting for an academic recognizing the false equivalence between Socrates’ philosophy and Machiavelli’s political ethics. The strategy to conduct any sort of liable and validRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1660 Words   |  7 Pagesworks of Socrates and Machiavelli are as polarized as the phrases â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† and â€Å"the ends justify the means.† The Prince by Machiavelli and The Last Days of Socrates by Plato are both crucial texts to the discussion of what makes a good political leader. Well, what makes a good political leader? Socrates would disagree with Machiavelli’s ideation of the Prince because of the immorality that he allows this model to have in the public sphere. However, Socrates would findRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1840 Words   |  8 Pagesrespective tim es, Socrates and Niccolà ³ Machiavelli had very different methods and beliefs of how a political system should be run. The mindset of Socrates can be seen in the works Apology and Crito by Plato. Socrates, who values wisdom and justice over power and prestige, would view Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince very contradicting to how he believes a good life should be lived. In his work, The Prince, Machiavelli details how a prince should rule and maintain power. Socrates would not be supportiveRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1860 Words   |  8 PagesPolitical Theorists: Moralities and Wisdom Political theorists, Socrates and Machiavelli, each provide their own ideas and philosophies for political structure that are still being discussed today. In Plato’s writings of â€Å"Apology† and â€Å"Crito†, he defines Socrates as man of wisdom and humbleness as he goes through trial and death of a crime he did not commit. Machiavelli’s writing of â€Å"The Prince† was written as a way to advise a Prince on how to achieve the greatest success as a ruler. These twoRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1961 Words   |  8 PagesWhat would Socrates think of Machiavelli’s political world? Socrates and Machiavelli were some of the most influential political philosophers in their respective times. Some argue that their view of empowering individuals, whether it be through free speech or ruthless fighting, are quite similar. However, their views of leadership and government do not align. Socrates’ support for free expression and due process makes his view of effective governance far different from Machiavelli’s focus on nationalRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli2009 Words   |  9 PagesSocrates and Machiavelli are both very influential philosophers and two of the great minds of their time. However, both of these men had their own separate ideas that did not completely agree with one another. Machiavelli was born into a Renaissance time period of fragmented politics, lots of bloodshed, and angry citizens while Socrates grew up in a time of political adjustment and instability in Athens. Machiavelli constructed The Prince as a political pamphlet to his frie nd Lorenzo de MediciRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1976 Words   |  8 Pagesand turmoil, both Socrates and Machiavelli use philosophy to evaluate people and politics. After seeing corruption, fragmentation and death, both philosophers developed different views. Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince includes strong stances on morality and religion. Socrates would be likely to agree on the general ideas that Machiavelli believes a Prince should have but he would differ mainly in how they should be executed. I believe that Socrates would agree with Machiavelli that there needs toRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli Analysis936 Words   |  4 Pages Socrates instilled value in living life as it ought to be and ingrained the pursuit of truth into all of his actions. He relished living as a gadfly to the state; arousing thoughts in others as a means to bring them to higher points of understanding and critical examination, which they then were to apply to their own society. He wanted people to live lives as they ought to live them and for the state to be a reflection of that aim. The leader advocated by Machiavelli, The Prince, is far more authoritarian