Machiavelli composed The
Prince as a practical guide for ruling (though some scholars argue that the book was intended as a satire and essentially a guide on how not to rule). This goal is evident
from the very beginning, the dedication of the book to Lorenzo de’
Medici, the ruler of Florence. The Prince is not particularly
theoretical or abstract; its prose is simple and its logic straightforward.
These traits underscore Machiavelli’s desire to provide practical,
easily understandable advice.
The first two chapters describe the book’s scope. The
Prince is concerned with autocratic regimes, not with republican
regimes. The first chapter defines the various types of principalities
and princes; in doing so, it constructs an outline for the rest
of the book. Chapter III comprehensively describes how to maintain
composite principalities—that is, principalities that are newly
created or annexed from another power, so that the prince is not
familiar to the people he rules. Chapter III also introduces the
book’s main concerns—power politics, warcraft, and popular goodwill—in
an encapsulated form.
Chapters IV through XIV constitute the heart of the book. Machiavelli
offers practical advice on a variety of matters, including the advantages
and disadvantages that attend various routes to power, how to acquire
and hold new states, how to deal with internal insurrection, how
to make alliances, and how to maintain a strong military. Implicit
in these chapters are Machiavelli’s views regarding free will, human
nature, and ethics, but these ideas do not manifest themselves explicitly
as topics of discussion until later.
Chapters XV to XXIII focus on the qualities of the prince
himself. Broadly speaking, this discussion is guided by Machiavelli’s underlying
view that lofty ideals translate into bad government. This premise
is especially true with respect to personal virtue. Certain virtues
may be admired for their own sake, but for a prince to act in accordance
with virtue is often detrimental to the state. Similarly, certain
vices may be frowned upon, but vicious actions are sometimes indispensable
to the good of the state. Machiavelli combines this line of reasoning
with another: the theme that obtaining the goodwill of the populace
is the best way to maintain power. Thus, the appearance of
virtue may be more important than true virtue, which may be seen
as a liability.
The final sections of The Prince link
the book to a specific historical context: Italy’s disunity. Machiavelli
sets down his account and explanation of the failure of past Italian
rulers and concludes with an impassioned plea to the future rulers
of the nation. Machiavelli asserts the belief that only Lorenzo
de’ Medici, to whom the book is dedicated, can restore Italy’s honor
and pride.
