Machiavelli Discussion Starter

In The Prince, Machiavelli criticizes past political philosophers, like Aristotle, who describe fanciful, imaginary republics that never existed.  Aristotle believed that living in some form of hierarchical organization was the natural state of man and that forming a republic was a good in itself.  Machiavelli takes the opposing view, a more pragmatic view.  Machiavelli says that political life evolves out of circumstances and fortune.  Machiavelli views political life as a means to an end rather than an end in itself like Aristotle.  

Machiavelli writes “For many authors have constructed imaginary republics and principalities that have never existed in practice and never could; for the gap between how people behave and how they ought to behave is so great…” (Prince, 48).   Machiavelli dismisses Aristotle’s Politics for its imaginary ideation of a successful city state - a place where men act as the ought to for the greater good.

Machiavelli asserts that political life is not based on any fixed or "natural" conditions, it is based on actual circumstances and leaders must be practical.  Machiavelli may have invented the concept of realpolitik, the idea that a political system is based on practical rather than ideological considerations.

When one nation conquers another, Machiavelli asserts the conqueror must be very practical about how to rule the newly acquired land.  The conqueror must look at current problems and anticipate future problems. When the newly acquired land is a kingdom revolving around a king, the land is difficult to enter but it is easy to hold once the previous king's bloodline is eliminated. As Machiavelli writes “But States that are organized after the French model cannot be held onto, once seized, with such ease” (Prince, 16). When the newly acquired land is a province, the land is easier to enter but harder to hold.  Machiavelli asserts that it is necessary to install either a prince or colonies of one's people there, he writes “…you must not alter their old laws or impose new taxes…” (Prince, 9). Machiavelli views holding culture constant as the way to prevent uprising.

Is Machiavelli correct when one nation conquers another this is the right way to treat conquered people? Does political change have to come at the people’s will? How would the new people in a new territory be treated differently in the polis as Aristotle describes?