When looking for control how do you achieve it? When done with that, how do you maintain your power? There are many ways to go about getting power. There are even many more ways to keep your power because of the fact that there are many different things that can go wrong. All of those questions can be answered from reading the book “The Prince” by Nicolo Machiavelli. In the book, Machiavelli talks about how to achieve and maintain power. This is done through first explaining what the different ways to gain power are, he then talks about the military standpoint of being a ruler, finally he gives the example of Italy and their political troubles.
How do you gain power in the first place? There are four different kinds of principalities, a hereditary principality, mixed principality, new principality, and ecclesiastical principality. The ecclesiastical principality is the least common because it is ruled by the Catholic Church. Then there is the mixed principality, this happens when a ruler annexes another state or states into their already existing one. New principalities and hereditary principalities are the most common ones. In a hereditary principality it is as it sounds, hereditary, the new ruler has inherited it from his father or another family member.
New principalities can be acquired in a few different ways. First, they can be acquired by a ruler’s own power, that is mainly through war. Second, through criminal acts or extreme cruelty. In regards to Agathocles, the Sicilian who later became King of Syracuse
“…having devoted himself to the military profession, he rose through its ranks to be Praetor of Syracuse. Being established in that position, and having deliberately resolved to make himself prince and to seize by violence, without obligation to others, that which had been conceded to him by assent, he came to an understanding for this purpose with Amilcar, the Carthaginian, who, with his army, was fighting in Sicily. One morning he assembled the people and the senate of Syracuse, as if he had to discuss with them things relating to the Republic, and at a given signal the soldiers killed all the senators and the richest of the people; these dead, he seized and held the princedom of that city without any civil commotion. And although he was twice routed by the Carthaginians, and ultimately besieged, yet not only was he able to defend his city, but leaving part of his men for its defence, with the others he attacked Africa, and in a short time raised the siege of Syracuse. The Carthaginians, reduced to extreme necessity, were compelled to come to terms with Agathocles, and, leaving Sicily to him, had to be content with the possession of Africa.” (Pg 18).
Agathocles rose to power through cruelty and criminal acts. After rise of power through criminal acts or one’s own power there is a rise by the power of others. Finally, there is a rise in power by the will of the people which is a civic principality.
After your rise to power you will have many problems, one main thing will be war and the threats of war. Machiavelli states on page twenty-four, “a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked.” If you have a strong defense then the enemy will think twice before they attack and more often than not they won’t attack at all. With the offensive side of war Machiavelli never really states anything about troops for attacking but says that a ruler should be well versed in the art of war. “A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline.”
Machiavelli also believes to never call in reinforcements for a war other then the rulers own men as stated on page twenty-eight, “experience has shown princes and republics, single-handed, making the greatest progress, and mercenaries doing nothing except damage.” He also states his dislike towards auxiliary and mixed/hired soldiers on page thirty, “Auxiliaries, which are the other useless arm.” He cites Hiero, the Syracusan because the mercenaries were of no use, he had them cut to pieces after deciding he couldn’t keep them nor let them go. Afterwards he went to war with his own men, not foreign men and aliens.
Now, concerning Italy and their political situation and troubles, Machiavelli mentions Italian rulers and how they have lost their power to rule. Machiavelli believes that rulers should always be doing something that is productive for their country. As a ruler you and your country should always be self sufficient and not rely on others.
A ruler should not rely on fortune either because fortune controls parts of human affairs. Free will however will control the rest, thus leaving the prince free to act and with no control. The prince will never be able to control everything without becoming a communist country. It is better to control part of the country than to control none of it at all when relying on fortune.
How will you gain control and maintain your power, there are many different ways to gain power, then you have to keep that power through the force of military, and remember not to follow the mistakes of Italy. “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few really really know what are,” (Pg. 40). How will people see you?