Machiavelli: The Renaissance Mind Behind "The Prince"

Machiavelli stands out as a true Renaissance figure, embodying the mindset of his era. In his famous book, he gives advices to a prince, but we don’t know who this Prince is. It's likely that Machiavelli wrote "The Prince" to share his ideas with a wider audience.

In the first part, Machiavelli talks about how the prince should be prepared for foreign enemies. He believes that being a leader is also means being a military leader, always ready for war. The most important principle for him is to protect the people. Without maintaining forces, a prince will be seen as weak. He should study war and defend his own country. He should also be knowledgeable about history. Machiavelli gives examples from Roman and Greek history, rather than the Bible. This focus on classical literature and history highlights Machiavelli’s Renaissance spirit.

In the other part, Machiavelli discusses how the prince should treat his people. He says that the prince need to do what must be done even if it means deviating from ethical standards. Sometimes, a prince must do bad things to keep his position than do good things. He has a very negative view of humanity, suggesting that manipulation is key to a leader's success. Ethical values are not important for him. Ethical values are less important than reputation, which is crucial for a prince. Even if reality differs, maintaining a positive reputation is very important.

Machiavelli warns against excessive generosity, noting that it can drain the resources necessary for a kingdom's defense. He suggests a balanced approach, where one appears generous but not to an extreme, as excessive liberality can erode a ruler's capacity to sustain wealth and authority. He says being mean is better than being liberal. It is important to take your people on your side. The prince must be perceived as merciful, but not to the extent that it leads to societal collapse. Machiavelli advises the prince to appear good, kind, and merciful but, in reality, you should be mean. He sees human beings as cynical people, so it is better to be cruel.

He believes that power should be maintained on earth, not in the afterlife. Public perception is what matters most, and ethical values are secondary to appearance. Machiavelli’s interest lies in human psychology and how a leader can manipulate people. He does not delve into the afterlife or religion, except to say that appearing religious is beneficial. His book focuses on human behavior and maintaining earthly power, reflecting the values of the Renaissance.

These values gain importance in the Renaissance. We can say that Machiavelli is a Renaissance man, and, in the book, we see his Renaissance mindset.