On Gaining and Maintaining Power

Politics= Power

Power in this world

(what Renaissance value are we addressing?)

• Nicolo Machiavelli– Political Background—

• Northern European kingdoms (monarchs)

• Italy- divided into city-states• Cities become trading centers• Tremendous wealth• French & Spanish war- 1494-

1524 over control

• Traditional political principles-• Christian ethics• MoralityMachiavelli’s advice ….

“Men judge by the eye rather than the hand, for all men

can see a thing, but few come close

enough to touch it.”

Machiavelli Application ActivityIn your groups, complete the following steps:

1) Draw a quote from the basket.2) Re-write it (each person)- put it in words you

understand3) Write a paragraph explaining a modern

scenario in which this is true (each person)- doesn’t have to be about politicians/leaders but about human nature .... i.e. your example should come from situations you’ve been in.

Chapter 15:

Yet the way men live is so far removed from the way they ought to live that anyone who abandons what is for what should be pursues his downfall rather than his preservation.

He must be sufficiently prudent to avoid a reputation for those vices which would deprive him of his state, and, if possible, also avoid those that would not deprive him of it … he need not be concerned if he acquires a reputation for those vices without which he would be unlikely to save his state.

“Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate

needs that a deceiver will never be lacking

victims for his deceptions.”

• The ends justifies the means.

• The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.

• All course of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not to the strength to suffer.

• The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.

• Whoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the

times.

• Men never do good unless necessity drives them to it; but when they are free to choose and can do as they please, confusion and disorder become rampant.