Question

Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. –the prince, niccolò machiavelli what is the author’s primary purpose in writing this passage? what does machiavelli most want the reader to know? what is his secondary purpose? how does machiavelli work to achieve his secondary purpose?

Answer 1

Machiavelli's primary purpose is to offer strategies on how a ruler can maintain control over newly acquired territories, emphasizing the viability of installing a friendly oligarchy. His secondary purpose is to educate rulers on maintaining power, which he conveys by outlining pragmatic governance approaches that may contrast with more democratic or idealistic political theories.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary purpose of the passage from Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince is to discuss strategies for maintaining control over states that have been annexed or won over. Machiavelli's main argument is that a prince can manage a newly acquired free state through one of three approaches: total destruction, ruling directly, or establishing a friendly oligarchy. The secondary purpose seems to be to educate rulers on the practical politics of governance, particularly the subtleties of control and the preservation of power in the face of liberty-loving subjects.

Machiavelli achieves his secondary purpose by outlining the advantages and sustainability of a ruling structure that works in concert with existing local institutions but is ultimately loyal to the prince. This aligns with his broader philosophy of political pragmatism and the maintenance of authority, contrasting with the more idealistic views posited by philosophers like John Locke, or the political contract theory that stipulates governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed, which is an enduring principle in democratic societies.

Answer 2

Machiavelli's primary purpose is to guide rulers on holding states accustomed to freedom by presenting three options for governance, with a secondary aim to propose that local citizens will effectively maintain control if they have a vested interest in the ruler's power.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author's primary purpose in writing this passage from The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli is to advise rulers on how to govern states that have been accustomed to their own laws and freedom. Machiavelli wants the reader to know that a ruler has three options to maintain control over such states: to destroy them, to reside there, or to allow them to maintain their laws while establishing an oligarchy to keep the state allied to the ruler's interests. The secondary purpose is to reinforce the concept that local governance by citizens who have a vested interest in supporting the ruler makes for more stable control.

Machiavelli achieves his secondary purpose by explaining that an oligarchy, dependent on the ruler's support, will be committed to maintaining the ruler's authority. This is in line with his broader strategic and practical approach to governance outlined in his work. Machiavelli's astute observations on political power dynamics are grounded in realism and have informed political thought for centuries.