Machiavello's Most Disputed Statements on Warfare: A Review
Straight Shootin' on Niccolo Machiavelli
Ever wondered why Niccolo Machiavelli stands tall as one of the most debated and notorious philosophers in human history? Let's dive into why this dude is a legend, baby.
Machiavelli spoke his damn mind and showed the real world for what it is. Fearless leaders know that candy-coating the truth is a waste of time.
WHO THE FUCK IS NICCOLO MACHAVELLI?
Niccolo Macchiavelli, a.k.a the OG Italian Renaissance player, was born in 1469 and bit the dust in 1527. He was a philosopher, historian, diplomat, and author, but his biggest claim to fame was his badass political theory. Lucky for us, his work still survives, providing important insights into the world of politics during the Renaissance.
He's best known for his political treatise, The Prince ( Il Principe), published in 1532. In it, Machiavelli tackles the three major topics of political life: getting and keeping power, controlling luck and fate, and deception as a ruler's best bet for gaining popularity.1
THE WAR AND FORCE
Today, we're focusing on Machiavelli's views on war and force in a political community. Here's the deal:
1. "War can't be avoided; it only gives your enemy the advantage if you do."
Newsflash: politics is a battlefield, and avoiding war only cedes control to the opposing side.
2. "To be obeyed, you gotta know how to command."
Why, you ask? Because people fear you more than they love you. And when you've got the fear factor going on, you've got a small group of loyal soldiers who'll back you up if things go south.2
3. "An unarmed man is no match for an armed one."
In essence, this quote sums up the reality of politics throughout history. Governments fail when one side is unarmed and the other is not.
Starting the War
4. "There are two methods of fighting: law and force. The latter might be more straightforward, especially when diplomacy fails."
Sometimes, choosing the non-violent route doesn't always get you what you want. Politics requires brutality at times, and ruling can't just consist of gentlemen sips of tea and polite discussions.3
5. "Wars start when you want them to, but they don't end when you want."
Unfortunately, there's no instruction manual for winning wars, but this quote hits the nail on the head.4
6. "Be ready for war."
There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about this statement, but it's always smart to stay armed and ready, just in case.5
Machiavelli's Deontology
7. "Winning a battle fixes all your mistakes."
Glory and power can't be erased by any other action. If you lead your nation to victory, people will always associate you with victory, no matter how many missteps you made along the way.6
8. "A prince should do what's good when he can, but he can follow evil if it's necessary."
Leaders need to keep the public's demand for peace while also being prepared to act unjustly when their nation or people are threatened.1
Machiavelli's Myth
9. "A prince doesn't need to actually possess good qualities; he only needs to appear to have them."
Machiavelli's controversial stance: it doesn't matter if political leaders are decent people; they only need to seem like they're moral and honorable to maintain the public's trust.1
10. "The ends ignore the means."
Machiavelli never said the ends justify the means. He said that the ends excuse the means, meaning that people can overlook the morally questionable means if they like the results.7
[Source List]- [1] Dietz, M.G. (1986) Trapping the Prince: Machiavelli and the Politics of Deception. American Political Science Review, 80(3), pp.777-99.- [2] Von Vacano, D.A. (2007) The Art of Power: Machiavelli, Nietzsche, and the Making of Aesthetic Political Theory. Lexington Books.- [3] Wood, N. (1967) Machiavelli's Concept of Virtū Reconsidered. Political Studies, 15(2), pp.159-172.- [4] Croce, B. (1925) Elementi di politica. Laterza & Figli.- [5] Dyer, M.K., Nederman, C.J. (2016) Machiavelli against Method: Paul Feyerabend's Anti-Rationalism and Machiavellian Political "Science". History of European Ideas, 42(3), pp.430-45.- [6] Cary, J.N. (2009) Constitutionalism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.- [7] Feyerabend, P.K. (1975) Against Method, Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge. New Left Books.
- Machiavelli's influential ideas in 'The Prince' have been intriguing general-news spheres, stirring debates on the interplay of politics, history, and strategy.
- His views on the necessity of war, force, and deception in politics have shaped discussions in various fields, from the study of science and history to contemporary political discussions.
