How to Be, Become, and Stay a Ruler For Dummies

Machiavelli is basically right. Although yes he wants a job and starts the novel off as a letter with a request for employment, all his information is based on merit (5). His experience gives him credibility which outweighs the minor factor that his purpose is to gain employment. But is that really his purpose? Or does Machiavelli want to share his knowledge and offer advice to rulers in the future? I suppose an intense analysis of the novel could give you a response, but I believe Machiavelli intentionally makes the novel ambiguous in this way. His foresight is apparent, politics and what is now considered foreign affairs is a very ambiguous subject back only by theories. Every situation is a case by case situation which is why he often contradicts himself. People evolve and conflicts do as well, one must always be open and aware of the possibility that the unexpected will occur. A leader can never anticipate everything but they should try, having a force prepared such as a militia is just another form of expecting the unexpected.

Perception is another topic which Machiavelli gives mixed advice on. Overall I agree with him, the ruler should always seem “virtuoso”, but his actions should always be to benefit the state which can sometimes lead to back deal and behind the scenes shady events. One might say well then the ruler is lying to the people which will create conflict and eventually the downfall of the state. However, the ruler is meant to ensure the state is taken care over and its legacy lasts longer than their lifetime. Since this is the case leaders must walk a fine line which is alluded to in the book. There is a very slim middle which a ruler must stay in and I do not mean middle in the face of conflict and not taking a side, but rather all of their actions should never be extreme. Handling perception comes in different forms depending on how a ruler came to power. Focusing on a ruler coming in from the outside, I completely agree that any violence that must be committed should be done as quickly as possible and all at the same time. First of all, this establishes fear, which Machiavelli believes is essential to maintaining stability. Secondly, when a people are conquered they expect some sort of crackdown in the beginning, but once a period of time goes by and they are still being punished for their relation to the previous regime, that is when unrest begins. After the initial phase of cementing their position it is important to gain the trust or love of the people, according to Machiavelli love is not as important as fear, however I believe a mix of both will lead to a fortuitous future.

Although Machiavelli contradicts himself, gives ambiguous advice, and his potential purpose is to gain employment, his points are valid and backed by experience. His time involved with politics gave him a lot of insight to the nature of human relations and how emotions along with intelligence intertwine to create a perfect ruler. He also happened to be the first in his time to write a book of this style. This manual which he has put together has never been done before which is why we give him such authority; I believe that may have been a foresight as well. Knowing he was the sole creator of such a piece allowed him to present his ideas without fear of contradicting another individual’s written work giving him even more credibility since he had nothing to base the structure of the novel off of.