Niccolo` Machiavelli essays

Niccolo` Machiavelli essays Lorenzo Di Piero De` Medici was more than likely unaware of the offering he was to receive from Niccolo` Machiavelli. In his hands a book of great political knowledge was soon to be placed. Highly revered as the greatest work of those times I still find it highly applicable to the situations of those who are in power today. Machiavelli gives a rational approach to everything from attaining and keeping power to governing and ruling in a wise manner. "The Prince" sets the foundation for political fortune and respect that seems timeless. In chapter six "Of New Princedoms Which A Prince Acquires With His Own Arms And By Merit" is a very accurate depiction of change in leadership. "For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new." (Machiavelli pg. 13) By stating this Machiavelli sheds perfect light on the subject of leadership change. Those who are all for the current way things are done will naturally be enemies of any new standard. Those who are either neutral or welcome the change will still be hesitant toward the new direction. The thing that I find so fascinating about the statement is that it is a simple observation that still can be made to this day. Take the Presidential election of 2004 Bush vs. Kerry and the comparison jumps out at you. People afraid of change were enemies or opposed to Kerry while those who wanted change were still hesitant in choosing him as our leader. In matters of soldiers and war he lays out the difference between a Prince's own subjects (homeland troops) or mercenaries. He paints the mercenaries as unreliable and cowardly in battle. "And this because they have no tie or motive to keep them in the field beyond their paltry pay , in return for which it would be too much to expect them to give their lives." (Machiavelli pg. 31) Machiavelli's viewpoint is that since the ...