Machiavelli’s The Prince has risen to become one of history’s most controversial books. Its contents are, no doubt, seen as immoral to our modern sensibilities, but where the controversy arises, is the value of Machiavelli’s study. This essay will be arguing that Machiavelli’s empirical examination of the machinations of power is highly valuable, not only …
Renowned sociologist Max Weber established an important distinction between authority and legitimacy in politics. Weber (1922) highlighted legitimacy as a relationship between the rulers and the ruled (Hague, Harrop & Bresslin 1992:10). He proposed three systems in which governments held authority and were thus given legitimacy. Traditional Authority exists because, as Haywood put it, “[it] …
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The value of Machiavelli’s The Prince can be construed in a number of ways – prominently, in the practical application of its advice, its historical significance as the founding work of political science and its philosophical illumination of the phenomenon of power. This essay will be discussing the first and third of these themes, examining …