Introduction
“The Prince” is a work of an Italian philosopher, diplomat, and historian Niccolò Machiavelli who wrote it in the 16th century. It is one of the most controversial texts in history. It describes the most effective ways for princes to rule their people, wage a war, and gain economic profit regardless of moral issues. Machiavelli was a person of his time, Renaissance, when Italy was torn into many Principalities and city-states, and war between them had almost no end. There was no regular army, only mercenaries, which accurately reflected the spirit of the era, when war was fought mainly for money, not for ideas or beliefs as before. There is a specific term for the behavior described in this work, called “Machiavellianism”, which can also be applied to contemporary politics. It means that Machiavelli had precisely grasped the nature of Europe’s politics after the Renaissance, which did not change still. One of the most exciting ideas of this work is a Prince’s maxim to be both “beloved and feared” (Machiavelli, p. 53) that is crucial for leaders to follow for this principle’s effectiveness.
The Meaning of the Principle “To Be Both Loved and Feared”
The principle “to be both beloved and feared” connects two important feelings of people which can prevent unwilling riots and uprisings. Love for a ruler is necessary because it motivates subjects to pay tribute to their lord and to supply his army. However, when this feeling is not accompanied by fear, they may exceed the limits of what is permissible. In addition, there is a danger that the land with such people will gradually weaken and eventually be conquered by an alien army. Fear is necessary because it states strictness and the actual distance between the people and the ruler. Everyone must do his or her duty, otherwise he or she will be punished. It is a more effective method to control everything, but if it is a single one, it can also lead a principality to crush. However, to make a combination is complex, therefore, ” it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with” (Machiavelli, p. 98). Therefore, the two feelings described two feelings have to be together as they only in tandem predict the most prolonged ruling period but having a fear takes precedence.
The Possibility of Following the Principle
Following this principle is possible for a prince who can effectively govern the people because of it. First of all, it is logical because love as affection to the prince and fear do not contradict each other. They are both necessary for saving a connection between the people and the lord. They appear as logical effects; fear is the product of not wanting to lose the connection. Additionally, Stockholm syndrome can serve as an example of how love and fear get along. Secondly, a union of love and fear is possible empirically; everyone can notice this on a mundane level of relationships between children and parents. The former may simultaneously love and fear the latter because parents may punish children when they do not conform to their ideas of good behavior. Despite this fact, most of them love their father and mother. However, a prince should behavior, “in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred” (Machiavelli, p. 99). Therefore, a prince can engender these feelings at the same time in his people, but he should avoid leaving only one of them for an effective ruling.
Historical Examples of Effective Usage of the Principle
There are many examples in history when an effective leader was both loved and feared. Russians can remember Stalin, one of the most controversial political and historical figures up to the present. Mostly because of his actions and decisions, which took many lives, but brought progressive industrial development and modernization of Soviet society in all aspects during his rule. Everyone can see that his success is evident in the victory of the Soviet people in World War II. Another example would be Alexander of Macedonia, who was extremely powerful in all aspects and built one of the most big empires in the history. Certainly, he did not achieve everything only because his people loved him. They feared his power and strength, which was convincingly shown in the Battle of Thebes. Thus, such examples represent that a leader may be successful, being both loved and feared.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The Prince” is a treatise that contains pragmatic advice for effectual ruling that is often immoral. Machiavelli shows that ethics in politics have no place and interfere because a ruler, to satisfy his needs and ambitions, most commonly uses all methods. Machiavelli is sure that a prince must engender love and fear in his people because they are the most vital human feelings. If he can control them, he can control people, and it predicts a long period of ruling that is one of the main goals of a prince. There are many examples of this, which are most commonly of charismatic and autocratic leaders. Now a face of a concrete prince as a person is dissolved in the structure of a state, and it is doubtfully that it can engender concrete feelings. Thus, a rule “to be both beloved and feared” is now almost irrelevant when a solid and sole leader plays no role. However, despite this fact, the described spirit of politics still lives.