A Playbook for Power and Position!<\/p>\n
Introduction<\/p>\n
The Prince was written over five hundred years ago by Niccolo Machiavelli after his political career was brought to an abrupt end and he was imprisoned. He authored the book hoping it would help restore him to power. It is a book that can still be considered relevant today as it deals with the rise and fall of power, the conduct of leaders, and the lure of maintaining power at all costs.
\nMachiavelli opens The Prince with what appears to plea to be forgiven and to be welcomed back into the good graces of his former employer. He writes, \u201cIn my desire, however, to offer to Your Highness some humble testimony of my devotion…\u201d(1) As endearing as this statement sounds, Machiavelli spends most of the book unveiling a plan to take power and keep it by any means necessary. Which results in a sometimes-disturbing description of how to be a powerful leader. It is a short book with a litany of statements\/themes that are meant to guide a leader to a successful reign of power. <\/p>\n
Critical Analysis<\/p>\n
Machiavelli writes about several different lessons of leadership. He shares themes that will equip the leader with tools to garner favor, respect, and power.
\nThe strong representation of these themes are:<\/p>\n
1.\tHow Should Leaders Reflect Goodness?
\n\u201cA man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good. Therefore, it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good and to use it and not use it accordingly to the necessity of the case.”(2)
\nHe suggests that goodness is a weakness that will inevitably lead to grief and the efforts should be put into not being good. <\/p>\n
2.\tHow Should Leaders Fight?
\n\u201cYou must know, then, that there are two methods of fighting, the one by law, the other by force; the first method is that of men, the second of beasts; but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second.\u201d (3)
\nMachiavelli cautions that fighting by law will not work and that a strong leader must employ unscrupulous (beastly tactics) to prevail. <\/p>\n
3.\tWho Should Be Feared?
\n\u201cThe question may be discussed thus: a prince who fears his own people more than foreigners ought to build fortresses, but he who has greater fear of foreigners than of his own people ought to do without them.\u201d (4)
\nHe cautions the leader on how to deal with fear among his people and foreigners, with a message to rid himself of the fear or isolate from it. <\/p>\n
Much of the book is filled with lessons such as these. Themes of leadership and instructions of how remain powerful. Machiavelli writes with expertise on the subject of power and position. <\/p>\n
My Opinion<\/p>\n
I must admit that my interest in this book seriously peaked in 1996 when Tupac Shakur released The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (commonly shortened to Makaveli or The 7 Day Theory). I had heard of Machiavelli in College and was loosely familiar with the theme of the book but never considered reading it until the late 90\u2019s when a young, brilliant, and very controversial rapper took such an interest that he released an album with the pseudonym Makaveli derived from Niccolo Machiavelli. Tupac was quoted as saying, \u201cIt’s not like I idolize this one guy Machiavelli. I idolize that type of thinking where you do whatever’s gonna make you achieve your goal.”(5)I was always curious why this change happened and why he was so, what seemed to be, linearly focused on the teachings of Machiavelli in The Prince. After taking the time to read the book, I understood it better. The appeal of leading and living in a way that promotes an \u201cend justifies the means\u201d reality can capture the attention of those that are still searching to find their way to success, power, position. Perhaps this is what was enticing for Tupac and for so many others. I found it interesting that such a historical piece of literature can probably still be used as a playbook for those that want to take power and hold on to it. I also think that there are some dangerous themes that can be illy applied in today\u2019s turbulent world. Read it with responsible care!<\/p>\n
1.Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince (Entreacacias, S.L.: King Solomon, 2020), 9.
\n 2.Ibid.,64.
\n 3.Ibid., 73.
\n 4.Ibid., 89.
\n 5.https:\/\/tupacuncensored.com\/reason-why-tupac-changed-his-name-to-makaveli\/, accessed on 9\/12\/2024<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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