"The Prince" by Machiavelli: Handbook of an ambitious Renaissance man/ Practical and amoral handbook for the modern politicians/ handbook for modern political rulers/ modernity of the discourse on the eligibility of an efficient ruler or prince

Question: The Prince by Machiavelli is a handbook of an ambitious Renaissance man. – Discuss. / Machiavelli’s The Prince is pragmatic; it is a practical and amoral handbook for the modern politicians. – Discuss. / Discuss the value of The Prince as a handbook for modern political rulers. / Point out the modernity in Machiavelli’s discourses on the eligibility of an efficient ruler or prince.

Answer: Machiavelli, the Italian statesman and dramatist, is widely known as “the first realist in politics”. Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince is a treatise on politics and it is based upon his first-hand experience as an emissary of the Florentine Republic to the courts of Europe. In fact, Machiavelli added a dimension to one of the major philosophical and political issues of his time, especially the relationship between public deeds and private morality. His book gives us a detailed picture of the true nature of power, no matter in what age or by whom it is exercised. A close study of the treatise shows that its subject matter is statecraft divided into twenty-six brief chapters. His objective to write such a handbook was to present a theory of how to create a unified national state. He was not concerned with the fundamental nature of government. He rather believed that a strong government could be formed by a ruthless leader. He personally believed that all men long for power, but a clever man can obtain it. The first half of this handbook discusses the different forms of government run by princes, hereditary and acquired; not only that but also Machiavelli described how governments are formed and defended, and how and why the governments fail. He gives a lot of examples from the pages of history to show the formation and downfall of government. He never points out that the princes have the divine right to do so. The Prince is a practical handbook or is a constitution for good governance. He should command a territory newly conquered and should not always obey traditional path. There are no fixed rules of conduct in the political world. The Prince is considered to be a handbook for an ambitious ruler, and according to a critic, it is perhaps “the first modern treatise on political philosophy”. The word ‘prince’ stands for leaders or rulers in the world of politics. Machiavelli highlighted the idea that anybody can become a king or a prince or a leader from the society, only if he has the ferocity of as lion and the cunning of a fox. Further, he explains that the king should possess ‘virtu’ or ‘manliness’ and he should be free from moral scruples. But he must have a pleasing personality. He need not come of high aristocratic rank of society. The prince must win the confidence of his citizens. Machiavelli’s guidelines remind us of the Indian counterpart in politics – Kautilya, though the socioeconomic conditions and internal political scenario were different in respect of Machiavelli and Kautilya. According to Machiavelli, the prince must be well understood and acceptable by his people. He should not stick to moral loss, but he should be practical and should believe that the end justifies the means.