Niccolo Machiavelli And Plato - 1693 Words

Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates (through Plato) have both given the world plenty of advice when it comes to governing. Both men have contributed to the debate of what a ‘prince’, or ruler, should look like. They lived in different time periods but were both surrounded by political uncertainty and fragmentation, which contributed to their views of government. Their ideals of a prince overlap in ways, but overall there are glaring differences in how they think a ‘prince’ should rule. A strong example of a difference they have is Socrates putting the law over the people, and Machiavelli putting the people over the law. This essay will examine and provide more evidence to justify why Socrates would not be supportive of Machiavelli’s concept†¦show more content†¦Through The Prince, Machiavelli describes how a prince should be powerful, promote peace, and have the best interest of the people in mind. For Machiavelli, as long as the people are hap py, further questioning and probing into the prince or his government should not be necessary. He is fine with a prince committing crimes, so as long as to keep the people happy. The poignant differences in how these two philosophers view how a prince should rule lead to the conclusion that Socrates would not support Machiavelli’s prince. The concern of Machiavelli’s prince not willing to questioning by the people opens up this analysis. A strong difference in Socrates and Machiavelli’s ideal prince is the idea of taking criticisms from citizens. Socrates is a firm believer that people have a responsibility to constantly question the government and its rulers. The Socratic Method involves constantly asking questions to get answers. In Apology, Socrates likens himself to a gadfly which is stinging the horse (the city of Athens) awake. He was on trial for not recognizing the Gods (which the government required) and instilling that mindset into the youth. He said, â€Å"It seems to me that God has attached me to this city to perform the office of such a fly; and all day long I never cease to settle here, there, and everywhere, rousing, persuading, reproving every one of you.† (Apology, 30e). He compares Athens to a lazy horse that needs his stimulation.Show MoreRelatedNiccolo Machiavelli And Plato1890 Words   |  8 PagesNiccolo Machiavelli and Socrates are widely regarded as two of history’s grea test thinkers, both of which had strong, albeit very different, ideas of what it meant for a person, or a ruler, to be good and virtuous. From Socrates’ thoughts and ideas as recorded in the Apology and Crito, it can be concluded that he would not find Machiavelli’s version of â€Å"the Prince† to be the ideal ruler, or preside over a completely prosperous society. Although, Socrates may have disagreed with many of the aspectsRead MoreComparsion of Realism and Idealism in Niccolo Machiavelli ´s The Prince and Socrates ´ Plato ´s Republic1101 Words   |  5 PagesWhen speaking of Niccolà ² Machiavelli from The Prince and Socrates, from Plato’s Republic, there is no way to avoid the clash between realism and idealism. The contrasting of both of these states of minds, when it comes to ruling a city, per se, is fascinating because, while they are extremely different, they’re perceiving the same objective: ruling a civilization successfully. Machiave lli uses the concepts of virtà ¹, fortuna, and free-will to describe political success. On the other hand, in TheRead MoreEssay about Niccolo Machiavelli1653 Words   |  7 Pages According to legend, just before his death, Niccolo Machiavelli told his friends that had remained faithful to him up until the very end about a dream he had had. 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This includes: Niccolà ² Machiavelli with The Prince (we will be looking at The Qualities of the Prince) and Plato with The Republic (we will be looking at the section The Allegory of the Cave. The Prince (1513) essentially lays out a how-t o guide of how to obtain power and how to keep it; The Qualities of the PrinceRead MoreSir Thomas More s Utopia And Niccolo Machiavelli s The Prince1454 Words   |  6 PagesSir Thomas More’s Utopia and Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince reflect the ideals of the Renaissance. Their reflections of the Renaissance are similar; however, their representations of the Renaissance also have distinct differences. The Renaissance or â€Å"rebirth† was a cultural movement that accompanied the passage of Europe from the Middle Ages to modern times. Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian civic humanist, historian, diplomat, philosopher, politician, and writer during the Renaissance. He appliedRead MoreCompare And Contrast Socrates And Machiavelli1419 Words   |  6 Pagesvs. Machiavelli: The meaning of truth As philosophers, both Socrates and Niccolo Machiavelli developed theories in response to the warring political environment around them. However, the theories and principles developed by the two philosophers are vastly different in regard to the concept of truth, Socrates would hate Machiavelli’s model prince due to Machiavelli’s manipulative view of truth. While Socrates desired a state that focuses on fundamental truth and ethical decisions, Machiavelli advocatedRead MoreOryx And Crake And Political Practices911 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical theory. Atwood’s dystopian world is one that many political philosophers would compare to premises set forth by Thomas Hobbes, Niccolà ³ Machiavelli, Aristotle, and Plato. The political lens that this work can be viewed through allows for a portion of each philosophers ideas and theories to shine through. The first theory that is applicable is that of Plato. In Plato’s Republic one is introduced to a theoretical work in which the perfect just society is divided into three categories basedRead More Christianity According to St. Augustine and Machiavelli Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesmakes it more evident that Christianity persuades his views. Although it seems his writings have become quite well known and admired, not everyone fully shared his beliefs. Niccolo Machiavelli, for instance, seemed to believe in a government that was not driven by morality, but more by practicality. In, The Prince, Machiavelli stresses that the moral fibers of government should not be so soft. Like St. Augustine, his work went on to become one of the most famous books ever written about politics.