Etica Moderno ed Il Principe – Modern ethics and the prince

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

5 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

07/28/2009

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Social sciences

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Summary :

Introduction
Machiavelli advise to the government
Modern public policy
Consideration and decision making
The evils (Malvagita)
Autonomy and nonmaleficence
The lesser of the two
Conclusion

Abstract

Practices that are deceitful and cunning, in the interests of retaining power, have been dubbed "Machiavellian", no doubt for Machiavelli's political treatise The prince. To many, this short book is a canon of all things unethical; to be called "Machiavellian" is generally not favorable. Machiavelli cites numerous practices that should be done in order for a prince to keep power in his principality. Many of these methods, such as not honoring your word if it puts you at a disadvantage (Chapter 18), are against all modern philosophical and legal practices. However, in this myriad of modern don'ts lie bits of sound advice for leaders of old and new. And while the book largely concerns itself with warfare (even advising to do so in peacetime), at least one maxim has practical application to a modern public policy issue, abortion.
Parole di Machiavelli - The Words of Machiavelli

In Chapter 21, Machiavelli advises government to be mindful of all the decisions that they make: Then no government should ever imagine that it can adopt a safe course of action; rather, it should regard all possible course of action as risky. This is the way things are: whenever one tried to escape one danger one runs into another. Prudence consists in being able to assess the nature of a particular threat and in accepting the lesser evil. The chapter, on the whole, concerns it self with ways that a prince shall gain honor, both by achieving great feats and also by being a true friend or a true enemy to another principality. Machiavelli cautions the ruler to be careful of forming alliance with anyone more powerful than he because upon victory, he shall become indebted to the other power.