Ms. Andrea Solomon, Ms. Mary Edsall
Colloquium F2003x
Assignment #10 – Niccolo Machiavelli
21 October 1999
A Bad Rap
According to translator Daniel Donno, for centuries after Machiavelli’s death he was believed to have been inspired by the devil. Today, his name is synonymous with ruthless cunning and underhanded treachery, someone who achieves or maintains power by lying and double-crossing whenever there is any possible benefit, without any sense of scruples or ethics. Ironically, I don’t think his book The Prince has very many “Machiavellian” ideas or suggestions. One that stand outs out early on, however, is in Chapter 3 on mixed principalities. He says that colonies are an inexpensive method of holding a territory without having to keep a large military presence there. The reason, he argues, is that colonists “only harm those whose fields and houses they appropriate for their own use—a minimal part of the population. Those who are harmed, being dispersed and poor, can cause no trouble.” He continues that “men must be either pampered or annihilated [because] they will avenge light offenses.” Therefore, if one needs to offend someone, he better make sure he is thorough and “obviates any fear of revenge.” This advice is pragmatic and practical, and this line of reasoning is used in modern cost-benefit analyses by individuals, companies, and governments.
Another passage that unsettles many readers is in Chapter 8 when he briefly discusses the proper and improper uses of cruelty. He is reluctant to acknowledge that there ever is a proper use for something bad. However, he writes that if one is going to be cruel it should only be something done once for safety and then not relied upon again. In this case, it is possible for a person to advance his standing and still expect to be forgiven by others (including God). In the even more famous Chapter 18, he writes that it is better to be considered kind than cruel, but not at the expense of being weak and thus causing more harm to everyone. I think Machiavelli does not deserve the reputation the word “Machiavellian” today denotes. He was simply candid and brave enough to write down truths which many people know and act upon without being honest enough to admit are their policies.