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Power and Fortune

The Birth of Modern Politics

Into the Early Modern Era

• Political and religious UPHEAVAL• CULTURAL RENAISSANCE• Urban PROSPERITY• Printing Communications revolution

– More freedom of ideas: HUMANISM• The VALUE of the INDIVIDUAL

– Growing literacy– Arts reflected NEW IDEAS

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Humanist Though

• Merged humanistideas with Christianity

• Focused reform of theChurch– Erasmus– Thomas More – Utopia

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Niccolo MACHIAVELLI

• 1469–1527• Native of FLORENCE• THE PRINCE

– Handbook to secureand maintain POWER

– Written ca. 1513– Published 1532

Medieval Florence

• 1115, Autonomous Commune• 1293, REPUBLIC

– Council of Guildsmen– Rule by MERCANTILE ELITE

• Ciompi Revolt, 1378– Factions and FAMILIES

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The MEDICI

• Bankers to the Pope• Rulers of Florence

(1434–1537)– Cosimo the Elder

(1389–1464)– Lorenzo I the

Magnificent (1449–92)

Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi

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The Medici Popes

• Leo X (r. 1513–21)• Clement VII (r. 1523–34)

The REPUBLIC RESTORED

• 1494: SAVONAROLAled popular REVOLT– 1497: BONFIRE of the

VANITIES– 1498: Savonarola

executed• 1512: MEDICI regain

control

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Lorenzo di Piero de’Medici

• 1492–1519– Grandson of Lorenzo the

Magnificent– Nephew of Pope Leo X

• Ruler of Florence 1513–19– Duke of Urbino– Father of Catherine de Medici– Died of SYPHILIS

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THE PRINCE

• How power works in PRACTICE– Not why it exists or whether it should

• ADVICE to a prince:– How to acquire power– How to maintain power

• MACHIAVELLI separates the conceptsof POWER and ETHICS

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Politics and Ethics

• Aristotle defined politics as an extensionof ethics

• Politics understood in terms of:– Right and wrong– Just and unjust– Temperate and intemperate

Being a Successful Politician

• Use the truth if possible– LIE if necessary

• Use religion if necessary– Don’t let religion restrict your actions

• Maintain an IMAGE for truth & piety• Ensure your people FEAR you• Be careful with money

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Machiavelli’s World

• Where humans = SELFISH and RATIONAL• A VOLATILE place ruled by FORTUNE

– Fickle and unpredictable, like LADY– To be grabbed and controlled by:

• VIRTUS – STRENGH– Military strength, capability at war– Strength of will

• Brilliant, strategic calculation

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Machiavellian Humanism

• A single, strong-willed individual can– TRANSFORM himself– Bring ORDER from CHAOS

• AUTONOMY OF MAN– HUMAN WILL– no longer defined by what he gained or

didn’t from GOD but what he gains himself

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