Intro to Machiavelli Flashcards
what is the renaissance
4
- reviving the rational, this worldy, secular scientific spirit (dormant during centuries of medieval encasement [no rationalism in scholasticism])
- “effect of man’s growing restlessness & changing social and technological conditions”
- printing destroyed monopoly of knowledge that clergy enjoyed; printing started by johannes gutenberg & challenge of Christian faith due to access due to printing press=martin luther & protestantism-95 thesis in castle of wittenburg
- throwback to classical greece and rome
- discovery of man (individuality) & man as center of the universe (no god) (vitruvian man by da Vinci)
monks wrote books=scare source=only rich had access to books
medieval=relying on faith; renaissance=rely on rationalism
why is italy as center of renaissance
3
cities full of relics & monuments of past glories
presence of language (Latin) to Italian - minor changes
german empire destroyed by papacy; French monarchy under papacy
how did the italy city states able to grow & its effects
2
- international trade, business and finance=made cities wealthy and prosperous=wealth led to the demand for literary, artistic, and scholarly activities of elites
- Florence as important center for the renaissance
de medici family=merchants=monarchs
invested money in the arts
florence at the center of italy
who are the important figures in the renaissance
leonard da vinci & nicollo machiavelli
who is leonardo da vinci
5
- 1452-1519
- ideal universal man
- painting and the arts
- science and engineering
- philosophy & letters
who is niccolo machiavelli
4
- entered public service at 29 and stayed for 14 years (in Florentian republic)
- diplomat for an independent Florentian republic
- lost his job in 1512=banished to his farm near Florence after de Medici restoration
the prince dedicated to lorenzo the magnificent
what are machiavelli’s ideas
5
- renaissance and a secular state “state as a work of art” = advocate for politics as art (how to acquire & maintain & expand power)
- decisions were determined by political not religious nor chivalric idea (keeping it real; do what you have to do to get power)=synonymous with the devil (doing anything to get power, even if its bad)
- raison d’etat (reason of the state) in explaining and defensing political action
- focus on amorality and not immorality
- fortuna (fortune can be enough or not enough) & virtu (borrowing power)
remove all your enemies in one quick stroke to preserve the state (like killing ur sibling to get the throne)
view of machiavelli & human nature
pessimistic
normal to machiavelli bec. he sees power in dark light
machiavelli & the prince background
- written after banishment
- dedicated to lorenzo de medici (prince as application letter to accept him)
- dream of a united italy since it was so fragmented (like PH)
- asked to serve the new regime=bitterly attacked
- opened new route in explaining politics
what is the new route in explaining politics with regards to the prince
- eliminated theological & moral argument by u need a state
- taking secular state for granted
- political inquiry based on behaviour
running for power
context specific for lorenzo de medici
what is the prince about
- end of the state (power is end in itself)
- political reality/realism=activity should be examined based on objectives/purpose; “men do not rule states with paternosters in ther hands”
- political power=unlike others end the state, power as end in itself; means to acquire, retain, and expand power
machiavelli & discourses
- role of history=advocate; discourses on the histories of livy; historical situations repeat themselves; general laws of political behaviour could be deduced from history
- for political activity to be successful, take account of these laws & base itself on imitation of great men
machiavelli & the church
- hostile
- church as reason for failure to imitate ancient rome
- greatest opponent to well-being of italy
- leader need not be religious but appear as one to gain the trust of the people
what is stoichism and relation to individuality
on moral selfhood and responsibility
what is christianity & relation to individuality
man’s innermost reality (soul) is outside any authority and salvation is dependent on own decisions
