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MACHIAVELLI
| BIOGRAPHY |
• Unlike other humanists of his time, Machiavelli was perhaps the first to
creatively explore relatively unethical methods of rule while roaming within the
intellectual bounds of humanism. This is why The Prince is considered to be
such a great work from the Renaissance period: Machiavelli attempts to
summarize human nature from a disturbingly accurate and realistic standpoint.
|THE PRINCE|
AND INDIVIDUALISM
• Scientific naturalism plays a significant role in the philosophy behind The Prince.
This doctrine goes hand in hand with humanism as Machiavelli takes a realistic
approach in summarizing the average qualities that compose human nature.
Scientific naturalists of the Renaissance focused prominently on viewing the
world from the most realistic perspective humanly possible. In this way,
Machiavelli examines human traits with natural assumptions and tries to stray as
far as possible from supernatural or religious affiliations.
• Part of The Prince’s literary significance can be attributed to its recurring themes of
realism and naturalism. It is widely recognized for its brutal honesty; for example,
Machiavelli argues that a prince should force his people to depend on him,
whether it entails supplying limited resources or freedoms. While they may be
unethical, Machiavelli’s tactics are truly authentic.
|THE PRINCE|
AND SECULARISM
• Secularism is the fourth and final Renaissance doctrine that heavily influences
Machiavelli’s The Prince. Secularists of the Renaissance promoted full separation
of Church and government. Similarly, Machiavelli never uses religious
reasoning to back his claims in his book. While he mentions that common
people have strong ties to religion, it is evident that he believes spiritual
argument is futile. Instead of being bound by supernatural or religious forces
imposed by the Church, Machiavelli argues that man himself holds the ability
to control his own destiny, which is why scientific logic reigns superior in the
assertions of The Prince.
• The Prince is considered a great work of its time because of its ability to move
with the secularist movement of the Renaissance and break away from
prevailing religious themes. Machiavelli even pushes readers to a further level
of secularism, advising them to take his political strategies and challenge the
Church as an institution of power.
THE SPIRIT OF THE
RENAISSANCE