Summary — Chapter XX: Whether Fortresses and Many
Other Expedients That Princes Commonly Employ Are Useful or Not
To defend against internal insurrection, princes
have used a variety of strategies. Some have divided towns, some
have disarmed the populace, some have tried to woo disloyal subjects,
and others have built or destroyed fortresses. The effectiveness
of each of these policies depends on the individual conditions,
but a few generalizations can be made.
Historically, new princes have never prevented their
subjects from having weapons. Arming subjects fosters loyalty among
the people and defends the prince. Disarming subjects will breed
distrust, which leads to civil animosity. But if a prince annexes
a state, he must disarm his new subjects. He can allow his supporters
in the new state to keep their arms, but eventually they must also
be made weaker. The best arrangement is to have the prince’s own
soldiers occupying the new state. However, weakening an annexed
territory by encouraging factionalism only makes it more easily
captured by foreigners, as the Venetians learned.
Princes become great by defeating opposition. Thus, one
way they can enhance their stature is to cunningly foster opposition
that can be easily overcome. Moreover, fostering subversion in a
new state will help reveal the motives of potential conspirators.
Some princes have chosen to build fortresses to curb
rebellion. Others have destroyed them, in order to maintain control
in newly acquired states. The usefulness of fortresses depends on
the specific circumstances. But a fortress will not be able to protect
a prince if he is hated by his subjects. The issue is not whether
a prince should build a fortress. Rather, a prince should not put
all his trust in a fortress, neglecting the attitudes of his people.
Summary — Chapter XXI: What a Prince Must Do to Be
Esteemed
Great enterprises and noble examples are two ways for
a prince to earn prestige. Examples of great campaigns include those
of King Ferdinand of Spain, who skillfully used his military to
attack Granada, Africa, Italy, and France. These campaigns focused
his people’s attention and prevented attacks against Ferdinand.
Nobility can be achieved by the grand public display
of rewards and punishments. Above all, princes should win a reputation
for being men of outstanding ability.
