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: : Connor Houghton : : Period 6 : : 2/23/04 : : Niccolo Machiavelli : : Intro: Machiavelliamism def.: "denying the relevance of morality in political affairs and cruel, deceitful tactics are justified in the act of pursuing and maintaining power." This implies that in the conquest for power the ends justify the means. This is the basis of Machiavelianism. The priority for the power holder is to keep the security of the state regardless of the morality of the means : : I. Background : : A. Birth : : 1. birth date- May 3, 1469 : : 2. birth place- Florence : : B. Education : : 1. Tutored in latin : : C. Death : : 1. death date- June 20, 1597 : : 2. death place- Florence : : II. Philosophy : : A. View on politics : : 1. sole objective- getting/keeping power/authority : : a.) by any means : : 2. not employed- religion, morality, etc. : : a.)unless for deception. : : 3. sole skill- calculation : : a.)knowing cause/effect/solution to any situation. : : B. View on human character : : 1. good men won't employ wicked means for good ends : : 2. one's company reflects one's character : : 3. desire for superiority exceeds that of equality : : 4. great mean remain unchanged under all circomstance : : 5. weak men become inoxicated by good fortune : : 6. "You cannot deal with people as you wish them to be, you must deal with them as they really are." -Machiavelli : : III. Quote: "For the manner in which men live is so far removed from the way in which men ought to live, that he who leaves the common course for that which he ought to follow will find that it leads him to ruin rather than to safety. For a man who, in all respects, will carry out only his professions of good, will be apt to be ruined among so many that are evil. A prince therefore who desires to maintain himself must learn not always to be good..." -Machiavelli

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