PSIR Optional

Machiavelli

Machiavelli’s Advices –
  1. Prince needs to learn, not how to be good, rather how to be bad.
  2. Prince needs to understand nature of profession as it is, not a profession of goodness.
  3. Prince should know human nature as he has to deal with humans.
  4. Prince should understand statecraft.
  5. It is better for Prince to be feared than to be loved.
  6. Prince has to take “Politically correct decisions” that too timely.
Dual Morality – Morality of common man differs from that of Prince.
Morality Of Politics – Machiavellianism
Machia established the autonomy of politics from ethics and religion.
Machiavelli’s Advice on qualities of Prince – 
  1. Should be clever like fox to understand to trap.
  2. Should be brave like lion to defend himself from wolves.
  3. Reason.
  4. Courage.
  5. Cold blooded man – to control emotions.
Utilitarian Approach and Advices – 
  1. Religion is useful institution for Prince. People don’t commit crime due to fear of god.
  2. Prince not to appear anti-religious in public.
  3. Machiavelli supported expansionist foreign policy.
  4. Machiavelli suggested that army should consist of nationals only.
  5. He advised prince to favour common man over lords.
Criticism and compare – 
  1. He was narrowly located and dated (Sabine).
  2. It is paradox that – Everyone in politics is Machiavellian but no one accepts it (Dunning).
  3. Kautilya was dated and located in different age and geography but still his theory was very coinciding with Machiavelli.
  4. Nehru – Indian Machiavelli to Kautilya in Discovery of India.