Thoughts and Reflections on: athe Prince Summary and Analysis

     Machiavelli's The Prince is one of the best known political criticisms ever written. In it, the author argues from a calculating and, to some degree, amoral standpoint. Machiavelli believes that in order for an effective ruler to maintain power, he must strike a certain balance between cruelty and benevolence. The ruler must be cruel enough to strike fear into his people, yet kind enough to avoid their enmity. The objective of the ruler should not be to ensure the wellbeing of his people, but rather to secure his own position. To that end, a ruler is justified in using any means necessary to avoid deposition or usurpation. When maintaining power is the primary concern, the consequences of achieving that goal are negligible.