Page 72 - DPOL201_WESTERN_POLITICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Western Political Thought

Notes the Magnificent”, the “most Florentine of Florentines”, became the uncrowned ruler of the
principality. Florence was economically prosperous, but suffered a long period of civil strife and
political disorder.
Machiavelli loved Florence, his birthplace. Very little was known of Machiavelli’s early life. His
father Bernado, a civil lawyer, held several important public appointments. Besides his legal
practice, Bernado also received rents from his land, making his family financially comfortable.
Bernado took considerable interest in the education of his son. Niccolo was well-versed in Latin,
but not Greek and Cicero’s humanistic studies, which focused on different moral situations with
advice on how to tread a virtuous path. Humanistic studies, which thrived in Florence, valued the
willing subordination of one’s private interests for public good, the desire to fight against tyranny
and corruption, and the need to perform noble acts in order to attain glory. Machiavelli’s writings
reflected these humanistic concerns.
In 1498, an effective republic was established in Florence. In the same year, Machiavelli, after
having completed his education at the University of Florence, joined the Florentine diplomatic
service. At the age of 29, he became the secretary to the second chancery with responsibilities in
foreign affairs—diplomatic, administrative and military in nature—giving him insights into the
actual working of politics. His humanistic training made him a hardworking, patriotic and
scrupulously honest public functionary.

The Medici rule, which ended in 1494, was followed by that of Girolamo Maria
Francois Matteo Savonarola (1452–1498), a monk.

Machiavelli had tremendous faith in history, out of the conviction that the study of history was of
crucial significance for an understanding of the contemporary reality. His interest in books was
confined only to those that dealt with life’s experiences. He spent his evenings wearing fine
clothes and reading good books and the classics in his library after returning from work. He felt
that he was holding a dialogue with the best minds of the past, and remarked that as he entered
the antique courts of the ancients, he felt welcomed by them. Many Renaissance thinkers had their
own private libraries or study rooms which they could afford, since Renaissance Italy was extremely
rich. The Renaissance was possible because of wealth, as culture flourished only with affluence.
Machiavelli’s stint at the chancery gave him an opportunity to meet the influential statesmen of
his day, namely Julius II (1443–1513) one of the most dynamic Renaissance Popes, Emperor
Maximilian I (1459-1519) of Germany, King Louis XII of France and Cardinal Cesare Borgia (1476–
1507), the illegitimate son of the Rodrigo Borgia Pope Alexander VI (1431–1503). Among them, it
was Borgia who left a lasting impression and was quoted in the Prince for his ruthless and daring
leadership, and as an example for the fascinating account of the role of fortune. Machiavelli’s
doctrine of fortune conceded that even after planning and playing the game of politics with
meticulousness, courage and cunning, one could still be unsuccessful. Machiavelli’s judgement on
the rulers and statesmen of his time was by and large critical.
In July 1500, Machiavelli visited the court of Louis XII on a diplomatic assignment for six months,
only to realize that his home state of Florence was held in low esteem because of the lack of an
army, a vacillating republican form of government, and rule by merchants who did not want to
spend money on the city’s military. Machiavelli himself was referred to as Ser Nihilo, meaning Mr
Nothing. His experience, which formed the core of the Prince, taught him the need for being
clever, thrifty, cultured, forceful, decisive and ruthless in politics, if one had to succeed. He also
realized the importance of a citizen army and a republican government as important ingredients
for the glory and success of a state—themes elaborated in the Discourses.

66 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY