Manfred J. Holler Niccol#242; Machiavelli on strongPowerstrong - RMM-Journal.pdfVIP

RMM Vol. 0, Perspectives in Moral Science, ed. by M. Baurmann B. Lahno, 2009, 335–354 http://www.rmm-journal.de/ Manfred J. Holler Niccolò Machiavelli on Power* Abstract: This paper uses the concept of power to analyze Machiavelli’s The Prince and the Dis- courses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius. This helps to distil the elements that form the Machiavelli program that has its short-term aim in the formation of a national state of Italy. A unification of Italy under the umbrella of a princely family (such as identified with Cesare Borgia) was meant to be the first stage in an evolutionary process which, in the end, could lead to a more or less stable republican system. For the latter, the Roman Republic as described in the Discourses is Machiavelli’s model. The use of power, but al- so the minimization of cruelties, and the participation of the people, either in the form of militia to successfully fight foreign armies or to support the princely government, are major ingredients to this process. 1. Introduction The Prince has no power. This is the immediate consequence of applying We- ber’s seminal concept of power to Machiavelli’s The Prince as we will see below. Of course, this conclusion seems highly paradoxical since Niccolò Machiavelli has been praised and condemned as prophet of unconstrained power. It seems that there is more to power in Machiavelli’s writings as common understanding and superficial interpretation suggest. In this paper I scrutinize The Prince and the Discourses with the concept of power hoping to get a deeper insight in Ma- chiavelli’s political and philosophical ideas. My expectation is that the reader will concur with what I suggest to be the Machiavellian agenda. To bring the discussion into focus, the paper takes off with an outline of the Machiavellian agenda. Section 3 restates the issue of power in Machiavelli’s poli-