Niccolo Machiavelli And Socrates - 1768 Words

Ask any student to name five great philosophers. Odds are, Niccolà ² Machiavelli and Socrates are among the five. Growing up in different times with similar abundant political turmoil and uncertainty, Machiavelli and Socrates developed ideas of how to deal with such unrest. On one hand, Machiavelli’s ideas resulted in a work titled The Prince, informing leaders how he believed they should conduct themselves in order to be effective. In Machiavelli’s mind, an effective leader is one that keeps his state united. Socrates, however, denounces traditional government and has a less clear goal, which is to gain wisdom by talking to people. He believes strongly in morality, ethics, and knowledge. Both philosophers have a concept called virtue (or†¦show more content†¦Most of what is known about Socrates is from secondhand accounts of his life because Socrates did not publish any works of his own. Though he has no original pieces of writing, he still remains one of the most well-known philosophers in history. Hundreds of years later in 1469, Niccolà ² Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy to a wealthy family. Though his father was poor, Machiavelli was able to live a very comfortable lifestyle. He was born into an Italy where there was no hereditary monarch, no centralized government, and corruption running rampant. Machiavelli decided to serve in the military and became defense secretary. In this job, he traveled on diplomatic missions for his principality, met influentials like Louis XII of France, Pope Julius II, and Cesare Borgia, and visited the Spanish courts. In 1512, the Medici family (not supportive of Machiavelli) took back power and dissolved the new Italian republic forged by the Borgia family. The family then accused Machiavelli of conspiracy, and he was imprisoned, tortured, and sent to exile south of Florence. This is where and when Machiavelli wrote his famous work, The Prince, loosely based off Cesare Borgia and his fairly su ccessful acquisition of much of central Italy. In The Prince, we see that Machiavelli’s views are straightforward and point towards a goal. Machiavelli’s end goal is to create a unified Italy under a leader whose primary concern is to keep the state united. The Prince simply and logicallyShow MoreRelatedSocrates And Niccolo Machiavelli1735 Words   |  7 PagesEssay 1: Socrates and Machiavelli Although Socrates and Niccolo Machiavelli lived in different time periods, the political climate that their philosophies were founded on were very similar. The trial of Socrates began after the Peloponnesian War when the new Spartan Tyranny took over the Athenian government. Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth and disrespecting the gods by the Spartan government. In the eyes of the Spartan government Socrates is a gadfly because of his posing of upsettingRead MoreThe Political Philosophy Of Niccolo Machiavelli And Socrates1444 Words   |  6 PagesAmong the most well-known and notorious philosophers, Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates laid the groundwork for western political philosophy and modern day politics. Though both lived through times of political transition and war, the fragility of their politics, violence of their wars, and the leaders they lived under influenced the development of their differing ideologies about the governing of principalities. From Machiavelli’s experience, came, â€Å"The Prince,† a guidebook about the importance ofRead MoreSocrates Vs Niccolo Machiavelli Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates and Niccolo Machiavelli are revered as some of the most influential thinkers of their respective times. Both of these thinkers developed their thoughts while Athens and Florence, their respective cities, faced political unrest. 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