1. Machiavelli says: From this arises the following question: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reversed. The answer is that one would like to be both the one and the other; but because it is difficult to combine them, it is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both.
2. Fear, then, according to Machiavelli, is an instrument of control that may be used by a king to rule his people. A king may use fear either on the majority, or the minority. If he uses fear on the majority, there is a danger that the majority may get together and caused him to be replaced. Therefore the king should not use fear on the majority. Since the minority would not have the might to challenge the king, the minority, then, may be controlled by using fear.
3. Generosity, being a kind of care, and care being the contrary of fear, could be used to win the support of the majority. But again, a king cannot be over generous, as this would soon squander all his resources. A king must reserve his resources for feeding his soldiers.
4. Soldiers are required to safeguard the position of a king. A king's position is constantly facing threats both from internal and external forces. His enemy may want to conquer his kingdom; and his unsatisfied people may want to have a new king.
5. Ants need sugar. Traditionally, soldiers are being kept by feeding them; sometimes also their families. In order to do this a king must have enough money; without money he will lose his soldiers; and consequently his position and his kingdom.
6. The rich would want to avoid chaos, because chaos would bring harm to their wealth; and on the contrary the poor would be indifferent, because they have no wealth that could be harmed. So a king must gradually bring wealth to his people because it it to his benefit to have people who are peaceful and orderly.
7. Therefore a king must know how to rule his people with care if he wants to be loved by his people.
No comments:
Post a Comment