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¶ … Prince
Theme
The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, is a practical handbook of political advice for leaders. Its primary purpose is to explain the best ways to obtain and keep political power. The essence of Machiavelli's philosophy is that when it comes to gaining and maintaining power, "the ends justify the means" (94). This is the theme throughout the book. Machiavelli analyzes both contemporary and historical examples of rulers, power, and strategy to support his contentions. He begins with an overview of various forms of government and how they might be best manipulated and ruled by a prince. Mixed monarchies serve a new leader's purposes best because they have no remaining hereditary families to oppose a new prince (35-42). Machiavelli then discusses how to rule newly acquired lands. The best way for a prince to consolidate power in a new territory often depends on how the territory was acquired. Machiavelli looks at each case of how new land is obtained and advises leaders how best to retain control in those lands (46-62). Machiavelli even delves into the specifics of military control and what types of troops are best for keeping a prince in power. He concludes that a prince should never place his fate in the hands...
Machiavelli then spends some time discussing how a prince should conduct himself. He must seem kind, merciful, and peaceful, but should never avoid being cruel, deceptive, and ruthless in pursuing and maintaining power. A prince should never allow himself to be hated by his people, however. Machiavelli explains how a leader can take cruel measures, limit wasteful spending, and maintain tight control without being hated. On the whole, people should be treated well, not because it's the morally right thing to do, but because it makes them easier to rule (81-104). Machiavelli warns princes to beware of flatterers and advises that they should pick a group of counselors and seek no one else's advice but theirs (116-117). The last few chapters indicate that the motive behind his writings is to encourage a prince to unite Italy and throw out foreign invaders from France, Spain, and Germany. Apparently, he hopes that by recording his "knowledge of the deeds of great men acquired through a long experience...and a constant study of the past," he will inspire some Italian leader to liberate and unite Italy.
What Does Machiavelli Think of "the people" in the Course of Human History?
Machiavelli's work is primarily concerned with the actions of leaders and not the welfare of the…
Film Analysis of the Patriot Colonial America For the purposes of this paper, the film of focus will the Patriot. This film was written by Robert Rodat and directed by Roland Emmerich. The film has quite a cast, including stars the late Heath Ledger, and Mel Gibson, both of which have substantial film careers and reputations both on and off the screen. The film was released in 2000 by Columbia Pictures, a
" Prohibiting "a bill of attainder" means that the U.S. Congress cannot pass a law that considers individual or aggregation blameworthy and later discipline them. Disallowing an ex post facto law implies that the U.S. Congress cannot make any given act a crime after the time the act had been committed. It is doubtful that this applies to a few sections of the Patriot Act. Individuals who monitor the Supreme
Effectively, then, the insurgency is leftist, and in the cases of these films, the left wins, either by proxy or by morality and the world is once again a better place. REFERENCES and WORKS CONSULTED Braudy, L. And M. Cohen, eds., (2009). Film Theory and Criticism. Oxford University Press. Burgoyne, R. (2010). Film Nation: Hollywood Looks at U.S. History. University of Minnesota Press. Hayward, S. (2006). Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. Routledge. Santas, C. (2007).
The interaction between the two is also symbolic of the innocence of the prewar state. Before the war, interactions and romantic interludes between Jew and Caucasian were no problem. During the war, however, Jews were marginalized to the point where they were no longer recognized as human beings. This is symbolized by the harsh treatment of an old Jewish man by a Nazi soldier, also during the beginning scenes.
popular films, The Patriot and Glory to discuss and evaluate leadership illustrations. The writer focuses on the leadership qualities in each film. The writer then explores the differences and similarities between the two especially when it comes to leadership. There were six sources used to complete this paper. Most movie goers will agree that the silver screen productions that they go to view have a theme. The theme may be
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