Originally dubbed De Principatibus (About Principalities) it was written in 1513; although went unpublished until 1532, five years after Machiavelli’s death. The book is not considered to be representative of published work during his lifetime, although it is his most remembered work.
The views expressed by Machiavelli, in the prince seem extreme; although he spent his whole life in Florence, Italy; during a time of extreme political conflict. The book was written as a guide for a prince inept on keeping his power; only sometimes as a guide for maintaining principalities. The purpose was to keep the prince in power.
The theories expressed in “The Prince” describe ways that the prince can acquire the throne; also how a prince can retain power during his reign. According to Machiavelli, the greatest moral good is a happy and stable state, therefore actions taken to protect the country are justified even if they are cruel. Machiavelli states that to be a good prince, you must be loved and feared. If one can not be both, then its better to be feared then loved.
“The Prince” or “Il Principe” in Italian, was written by Nicolo Machiavelli. His book is written with the ideal of how to be a good prince. The book explains how a hereditary prince has an easier job of governing, because the public and its people have already become accustomed to him as a ruler; all that a hereditary prince needs to do is carefully maintain the society that the public and people are used to.
Now speaking for the non-hereditary prince; he will need to is stabilize his new found power, and apply a new structure that will withstand. This task may require the prince to perform immoral, or cruel tasks to reach his goals.
Machiavelli uses examples to express which princes excel at obtaining and maintaining power; also which princes will not. Machiavelli does not completely rid the book of morality, or wholesale selfishness or degeneracy. He instead outlines his definition...