values of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

The following will be an argument debating how Machiavelli exemplified state power in his book The Prince . Also , the idea of state power can sometimes have a counter-intuitive effect on ordinary morality , and such moral issues are dissected through Machiavelli 's writings . The theory of the state will be highlighted and how it breaks with classical political thought or how it coincides with classical political thought will be emphasized . In view of these findings there must also exist an example of classical political thought , therefore Canterbury Tales will be examined for a

compare and contrast on the power of the state and ordinary morality . There must exist a fair representation of two different types of state and the power that is harbored in each in for an objective evaluation of government and morality to be assessed . The breeding of Canterbury Tales and Machiavellli 's The Prince will bring forth more focus on the concepts of morality and classical tradition of politics

Machiavelli 's suggestion that the end justifies the means is an invitation to use betrayal , murder , and deceit when necessary to gain political power , and it is in this context that ordinary morality gives way to political power . He also believed that mob rule is not an acceptable way to achieve power because the people are fickle and change allegiance easily . In his view of government the most powerful and dependable types of military forces are the national armies . In the construct of a government Machiavelli states in The Prince that it is better for a prince to be feared than loved , because fear depends on oneself , while being loved depends on one 's subjects , and thus the combination of political power and ordinary morality converge . It is with state power that a prince should be concerned with because when placing complete trust in the people , conflicts abound . The prince then , in Machiavelli 's imagery of the fox and the lion should be both strong and cunning , and the best way a prince can gain respect and admiration is to win impressive military victories , and so morality must give way so that was may be accomplished and thus the power of the prince secured

The four types of principalities discussed in The Prince include hereditary , mixed , new and ecclesiastical . In these principalities Machiavelli 's objective is to describe the nature of power . His concept of power , his political hero and role model then is Cesare Borgia . With this role model it is no wonder that Machiavelli 's principal blame for Italy 's political weakness is placed on incompetent Italian princes and their advisors

Machiavelli himself was a political realist . In his political realism he has at least three golden rules or precepts in The Prince , they are Machiavelli writes of how a prince should have humanity . This meaning that a prince should have a common bond with his people , and so classical political thought , that is a government for the people as well as the prince remains...