In what sense was machiavelli a political “realist” ?
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7 pages
The political realism approach by the Machiavellian thought“The Prince” is one of the most important books of all the modern political thought. The authors who, after Machiavelli, undertook to reflect on the power are turned towards this work, so, in particular, criticizing the conclusions of them. The Prince states indeed on the policy of the judgments so morally inadmissible that the term of “Machiavellism” was forged in order to qualify them and to denounce them. The political philosophy, which was given for task to think the principles of the well managed city, yields the place to the political thought which deciphers the objectives and the methods of the effective policy. Machiavelli stigmatizes the “humanistic” philosophers and writers for whom the policy concerns the fiction.1 The political effectiveness arises from the fundamental motivation that carries the realistic policy. Machiavelli in its capacity as political writer of its time, sought a realistic and salutary effective solution with the disastrous situation which his country crossed, Italy of the Renaissance. This is why, it is interesting to study initially, the Machiavellism and the Machiavellian thought, in a logical prequel of the political realism evoked by the philosopher. To approach thereafter, how this political realism is conducted by Machiavelli.
The Machiavellism thought is not reducible with a simple “Machiavellian” vision. The political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political powers2. The circumstances of the composition of the book, inform us on the recommendations given by Machiavelli3. Machiavelli in his book “The Prince”, wonders “what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept, why they are lost: and if any of my fancies ever pleased you, this ought not to displease you: and to a prince,