Essay on Machiavelli’s The Prince and the Modern Executive

The Prince and the Modern Executive Few question The Prince’s place in the canon of western literature. That it marks a turning point in our collective history, the origin of the study of politics as a science (Pollock 43), is alone enough to warrant its classification as a Great Book. Its author, Niccolo Machiavelli, a contemporary of Copernicus, is generally accepted as an early contributor to the scientific revolution, because he looked at power and the nature of sovereignty through the eyes of a scientist, focused completely on the goal without regard for religion and morals and ethics. Machiavelli taught that the way princes actually do govern often differs substantially from than the way they ought to govern, according to†¦show more content†¦A corporation has its king and its barons, its courtiers and ambassadors, its loyalists and its dissident elements, its allies and its enemies. What is important to our application of his principles of statecraft to the business world is not the superficial d ifferences but the underlying unity. Modern corporations that are successful and well-managed do not necessarily operate in harmony with the personal morality of their employees and for the general good of their communities. Similarly, firms which pollute the environment or ask their employees to lie are not always forced into bankruptcy. The individualism and secularism that characterized the Italian Renaissance are dominant themes in Machiavelli’s thinking. His use of historical examples throughout The Prince demonstrates an extensive knowledge of Greek and Roman history and is consistent with the new-found love for antiquity of the Renaissance. Machiavelli was, in every sense of the word, a true renaissance man. He appears to be remarkably well-educated, although limited finances probably prevented him from studying at a major university. As a result, the effect of humanist teachings, prevalent at most of the institutions of higher learning at the time, on Machiavelli was limited. Machiavelli’s knowledge of specific details of politics is primarily the culmination of a life-long career as a bureaucrat and diplomat. In The Prince, MachiavelliShow MoreRelated Changing Interpretations of The Prince and Niccolo Machiavelli2638 Words   |  11 PagesChanging Interpretations of The Prince and Niccolo Machiavelli After five hundred years, Niccolo Machiavelli the man has ceased to exist. In his place is merely an entity, one that is human, but also something that is far above one. The debate over his political ideologies and theories has elevated him to a mythical status summed up in one word: Machiavelli. His family name has evolved into an adjective in the English language in its various forms. 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