The Prince, Machiavelli

  1. Consider the following quote: “And furthermore, one should not care about incurring the reputation of those vices without which it is difficult to save one’s state; for if one considers everything well, one will find something appears to be virtue, which if pursued would be one’s ruin, and something else appears to be vice, which if pursued results in one’s security and well-being” (Machiavelli, The Prince). How does Machiavelli argue a prince should act? Should he act this way openly or put forward a different appearance? Explore the idea of appearance vs. reality in Machiavelli's The Prince.
  2. In The Prince, Machiavelli writes: “And let no one resist my opinion on this with that trite proverb, that whoever founds on the people founds on mud.” According to Machiavelli, how should a prince “found on the people”? How does his advice ultimately benefit the people?
  3. Hobbes claims that there is no real justice without law. In your Assignmentyou should explore Hobbes’ conception of law. How does he define law, how is its meaning determined, and what is his point when he says that the laws of nature are not, strictly speaking, really laws? What is required for something to truly be a law? Does his view of law and justice necessitate certain aspects of his political theory/regime?