Why Must a Ruler Be Prepared to Act in Ways That Are Not Considered Good

In The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli puts forward a view of ruling a state that is considerably different and a complete contradiction from the beliefs and teachings of humanists of his time. He argued against the humanist view that princes must act virtually, in ways such as justice. He disagreed with humanist beliefs and instead believed that he must be prepared to do wrong in order to succeed. Therefore Machiavelli held a pessimistic view of human nature and usually doubted people, stating that in time of difficulty, “when the state is in need of its citizens there are few to be found." (Machiavelli, pg. 83 1960)

According to Machiavelli a ruler must be prepared to act in inappropriate ways in order to succeed and gain respect. Machiavelli’s main focus in The Prince was on how to create a successful ruler and how a prince should behave in order to reach this goal. As a result, he encourages the prince to be generous, merciful and honest when he can but at the same time the prince must be flexible and know how to do wrong when he must. In order to preserve his state, the prince must be bold, resolute, flexible, prepared to break promises and act against truth, religion and humanity. (Machiavelli, pg.84, 1960) To act in such ways requires the prince to combine the characteristics of the “cunning of the fox with the strength of the lion,” being deceitful, cruel and aggressive. Therefore a prince needs to be taught how to act in ways that are not considered good because “political necessity demands it.” (http://www.newstatesman.com, accessed 12/03/08)

In chapter 15 of The Prince, Machiavelli argues that those who overlook what is done for what ought to be done, will destroy, rather than protect themselves and therefore it is necessary for a prince to behave wrongly and know how to do so in order for self-preservation. (Machiavelli, pg 83, 1960) Machiavelli takes into account how a prince should behave toward his subjects and his friends. He argues that a man who attempts to act in ways that are good will become ruined, because there are several men that are not good and they will destroy the ones who are.

Machiavelli further goes on to question the loyalty of the citizens and advises the prince that because “men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you not need keep your word to them." (Machiavelli, pg. 94, 1960) The moral way that a prince should present himself is by making “an effort to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity, and fortitude, and in his private dealing with his subjects let him show that his judgements are binding, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him.” (Machiavelli, pg 102, 1960) Other qualities, which are considered good, are being merciful, trustworthy, kind, honest and religious, the last being the most important.

Machiavelli lists these qualities to show that it is obvious these qualities would gain more respect for a prince but because all these qualities cannot be completely overcome, it is better for the prince to be adequately cautious in order for him to know how to avoid the blame for acting in ways that are not considered good.

In chapter 16, Machiavelli explains that if a prince is a wise character then “he ought not to fear the reputation of being mean, for in time he will come to be more considered than if liberal,” and goes on to quote that “we have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean, the rest have failed.” (Machiavelli, pg. 88, 1960)

In the case of liberality, Machiavelli believes that theoretically a prince who is generous is considered good, but in practice it is impossible for a prince to be generous and cautious at the same time. The only way a prince can uphold his generosity is to burden his citizens with taxes, which will probably cause bitterness. Therefore, it is better for a prince to be economical, since only men that have been cautious with their spending have been able to rule successfully and if a prince stops being liberal, he receives the blame for being greedy.

It is also good for a prince to be considered kind rather than cruel. However, it is more likely that cruelty has a better effect and gains more respect. For Machiavelli, a prince who brings peace and stability through his cruelty should be considered kinder than a leader who brings destruction upon his state because of his misplaced kindness.

Machiavelli answers the charge that some rulers were supposed to be generous by stating that they were generous only on their way to power, such as Julius Caesar, who had a reputation for liberality, but did not uphold this status. (Machiavelli, pg 88, 1960)

Machiavelli states that “a prince should guard himself above all things, against being despised and hated, and liberality leads you to both.” (Machiavelli, pg 90, 1960) He therefore argues that it is better to be well known for being mean rather than liberal.

Machiavelli goes on to talk about cruelty, love and hatred in the next chapter. He believes that every prince should morally want to be considered good, not cruel. However, a prince should be careful not to abuse this kindness and should therefore not mind the blame for being cruel as long as it benefits the state. Coyle supports this notion by arguing that actions which involve the sacrifice of moral values are useful in an imperfect world. (Coyle, pg. 191, 1995) Machiavelli believed that a lack of cruelty will lead to disorder, chaos, murders and robberies so it is important to have that characteristic. For example, executions may affect only a few people in society but on the whole it benefits the state, creating a more disciplined society. (Machiavelli, pg 91, 1960)

In answering the question of whether it is better to be loved than feared, or vice versa, Machiavelli states “that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved.” (Machiavelli, pg 92, 1960)

Therefore fear works more effectively than being friendly since fear is constant, but a prince must be prudent and avoid being hated. The citizens of a state will be more willing to do things for a ruler if he is feared by his people, however being feared too much can lead to hatred. It is possible to avoid the hatred of others as long as a prince does not violate the possessions and women of his citizens.

Machiavelli compares two great military leaders: Hannibal and Scipio. For a prince who leads his own army, it is vital for him to practice being cruel since that is the only way he can command