Response to Machiavelli's The Prince

Machiavelli's The Prince

In Machiavelli’s The Prince, he stated that rivers and men can be controlled but cannot be trusted. I believe that what he means by this is that one can bribe, entice or force someone into doing something, but cannot trust them in real circumstances. I think that in some cases, what Machiavelli states is true. There are situations in various situations where the only way that you can work with someone and have some element of trust is when both parties know that there is something in it for them. However, this is not true in all aspects of life. In some cases, people will not trust those who are constantly using bribery to get others to trust them. Machiavelli’s thoughts on the ideal prince are somewhat reflected in today’s society by people in political power. Machiavelli stated that although some princes may not have all the qualities that he believed were essential, they should appear to have them, lest they lose their power. For modern politicians who are in the face of modern media, appearance is crucial for them to keep their positions of power. There are very few politicians who are truly universally loved. There are countless people who run for Prime Minister or President who try to present themselves as likable, although very few succeed. I believe that politics has changed over the course of five hundred years, and now people are so skeptical of the intentions of said politicians that they try not to love them. I believe that although they are neither feared nor loved, these modern “princes” have created a sense of awe around their character. This correlates to what Machiavelli wrote of five hundred years ago, and it is still present today. 

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2010/oct/28/new-machiavelli-coalition-david-cameron

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/niccolo-machiavelli-the-prince-quotes-biography.htm