Introduction
Written almost five centuries ago during Italy’s era of fractious chaos, Niccolo Machiavelli’s, The Prince became the “How-To” book for the effective acquisition, governance, and retainment of power over principalities. Within the pages of this political treatise, Machiavelli duly explains the qualities of a successful prince. However, he also explains how the importance of these very qualities affect the prince’s public image and reputation and how these play a vital role in the retention of power while keeping others from conspiring and rising against him.
The ideal prince should be virtuous in that in that he should be “merciful, faithful, humane, religious and upright” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVIII, 2012).
However, it is impossible for a prince to have all of the aforementioned qualities making it more important to create the perception of having those good qualities. Nevertheless, he should also be willing to abandon those virtues if the prince wants to hold his own, to know how to do wrong and make use of it according to necessity. It is also necessary for the prince to be sufficiently prudent and know how to avoid the “reproach of those vices which would lose him his state; and also to keep himself, if it be possible, from those which would not lose him it” (Machiavelli, Chapter XV, 2012).
This perception is the reality Machiavelli believes to be critical to the effectiveness of the prince. The slightest perceived weakness or unethical behavior can lead to the prince’s downfall and the loss of his state making it imperative to display capabilities and conduct beyond admonition. “Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful …but with a mind so framed that should you require to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVIII, 2012).
A respectable reputation is necessary since it parallels public image. The people will judge everything the prince publically says and does, which will then become his perceived reputation by those very people. “For this reason a prince ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete with the above-named five qualities, that he may appear to him who see and hears him altogether merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious. There is nothing more necessary to appear to have than this last quality, inasmuch as men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVIII, 2012).
Machiavelli also confronts the reputational risks and concern of liberality and meanness. With liberality, the prince generally leaves the people alone mostly tax-free. Unfortunately, the more generously the prince gives, the poorer he will inevitably become. Thus, he creates the necessity of taxing the people, which fosters resentment among the people. However, Machiavelli states that it is better for the prince to be considered a miser for that it is better for the prince to be considered a miser for a while to successively govern better and give more to the people in the long-term. “Therefore it is wiser to have a reputation for meanness which brings reproach without hatred, than to be compelled through seeking a reputation for liberality to incur a name for rapacity which begets reproach with hatred” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVI, 2012).
Moreover, it is best for the prince to be miserly with his own treasury but instead be free and lavish with the wealth taken from others during wartime. This will give him the reputation for generosity and liberality without cost to him. If the prince does not have this extra wealth, Machiavelli advises the prince to abandon the idea of liberality in the concern of practicality.
Additionally, every prince should want the reputation for being clement and not cruel. Nevertheless, this is merely part of the perception of reality regarding this public image and reputation. “Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because…he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murder or robberies” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012).
The people are willing to forgive a little cruelty if it keeps the peace, guarantees their safety, and upholds the law.
At last, Machiavelli’s infamous question arises, “whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved?” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012) The ideal answer would be for the prince to be both feared and loved, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to coalesce both into one individual. Therefore, it “is much safer to feared than loved” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012).
As long the prince is successful, men will offer the prince their blood, property, life and children but when the time comes they will turn against the prince. Friendships obtained through disbursements and not through magnanimity are unreliable and the prince is in jeopardy. Ultimately, men will be less reluctant to offend a prince who is beloved than a prince who is feared. This fear shields the prince “by a dread of punishment which never fails” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012).
Accordingly, the prince should also “inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012).
Machiavelli asserts that the public image and reputation of the prince are of vital importance because they play a key role in keeping the prince in power. Therefore, it is imperative for the prince to avoid any vices or actions that will affect the people’s perception of his integrity and capability as a leader. Although the people despise the prince but do not hate him, the prince increases his chance of keeping power. When the people fear him and fear reprisals but do not love him, he improves his chance to quell conspiracies. While the people have the perception that he has all the good qualities of a prince, they are less likely to rise against him. Accordingly, when the people are not oppressed, are generally happy, not overly taxed, feel protected, kept united and loyal there is less chance of others or outsiders attacking him and he will continue to hold power. Therefore, when the prince’s public image and reputation play such a key role in maintaining power, Machiavelli is correct in saying it “is much safer to be feared than loved” (Machiavelli, Chapter XVII, 2012).
References
Machiavelli, N. (2012).
Chapter XV. In The Prince (W. K. Marriott, Trans., Kindle Edition ed.).
New York: Doubleday.
Machiavelli, N. (2012).
Chapter XVI. In The Prince (W. K. Marriott, Trans., Kindle Edition ed.).
New York: Doubleday.
Machiavelli, N. (2012).
Chapter XVII. In The Prince (W. K. Marriott, Trans., Kindle Edition ed.).
New York: Doubleday.
Machiavelli, N. (2012).
Chapter XVIII. In The Prince (W. K. Marriott, Trans., Kindle Edition ed.).
New York: Doubleday.