Question

Machiavelli, The Prince (1513) This leads us to a question that is in dispute: Is it better to be loved than feared, or vice versa? My reply is one ought to be both loved and feared; but, since it is difficult to accomplish both at the same time, I maintain it is much safer to be feared than loved, if you have to do without one of the two. For of men one can, in general, say this: They are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain. As long as you serve their interests, they are devoted to you. They promise you their blood, their possessions, their lives, and their children, as I said before, so long as you seem to have no need of them. But as soon as you need help, they turn against you. Any ruler who relies simply on their promises and makes no other preparations, will be destroyed. For you will find that those whose support you buy, who do not rally to you because they admire your strength of character and nobility of soul, these are people you pay for, but they are never yours, and in the end you cannot get the benefit of your investment. Men are less nervous of offending someone who makes himself lovable, than someone who makes himself frightening. For love attaches men by ties of obligation, which, since men are wicked, they break whenever their interests are at stake. But fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them. Still, a ruler should make himself feared in such a way that, if he does not inspire love, at least he does not provoke hatred. For it is perfectly possible to be feared and not hated. You will only be hated if you seize the property or the women of your subjects and citizens. Whenever you have to kill someone, make sure that you have a suitable excuse and an obvious reason; but, above all else, keep your hands off other people’s property; for men are quicker to forget the death of their father than the loss of their inheritance. Moreover, there are always reasons why you might want to seize people’s property; and he who begins to live by plundering others will always find an excuse for seizing other people’s possessions; but there are fewer reasons for killing people, and one killing need not lead to another. When a ruler is at the head of his army and has a vast number of soldiers under his command, then it is absolutely essential to be prepared to be thought cruel; for it is impossible to keep an army united and ready for action without acquiring a reputation for cruelty. Erasmus, Education of a Christian Prince (1516) Follow the right, do violence to no one, plunder no one, sell no public office, be corrupted by no bribes. . . . As you would rather stand for an injury than avenge it at great loss to the state, perchance you will lose a little something of your empire. Bear that; consider that you have gained a great deal because you have brought hurt to fewer than you would otherwise have done. . . . If you cannot defend your realm without violating justice, without wanton loss of human life, without great loss to religion, give up and yield to the importunities of the age! . . . A good prince . . . is a living likeness of God, who is at once good and powerful. His goodness makes him want to help all; his power makes him able to do so. On the other hand, an evil prince, who is like a plague to his country, is the incarnation of the devil, who has great power joined with his wickedness. All his resources to the very last, he uses for the undoing of the human race. . . . [A good prince is one] who holds the life of each individual dearer than his own; who works and strives night and day for just one end—to be the best he can for everyone; with whom rewards are ready for all good men . . . for so much does he want to be of real help to his people, without thought of recompense, that if necessary he would not hesitate to look out for their welfare at great risk to himself; who considers his wealth to lie in the advantage of his country; who is ever on the watch so that everyone else may sleep deeply; who grants no leisure to himself so that he may spend his life in the peace of his country; who worries himself with continual cares so that his subjects may have peace and quiet. . . . He does everything and allows everything that will bring everlasting peace to his country, for he realizes that war is the source of all misfortunes to the state.

What does Machiavelli have to say about being loved rather than feared? How does this view contrast with that of Erasmus on the characteristics of a good ruler? Which viewpoint do you consider more modern? Why? Which viewpoint do you think is correct? Why?

Answer 1

Machiavelli says the prince should be more powerful than they are, able to make and destroy them at any time based on his own will. Here Machiavelli says that it is not manageable to to be feared and to be loved at the same time. So he prefers to be feared rather than to be loved. He reiterates this point by illustrates some examples too. He considers 'to be feared' is a safe zone ,since men are wicked, they break whenever their interests are at stake, he says. or it is impossible to keep an army united and ready for action without acquiring a reputation for cruelty.But fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them.

But Erasmus, the great scholar and Christian humanist has a contradictory view about the Machiavellian view. He says that a good ruler is a living likeness of God, who is at once good and powerful.This underlines the power of LOVE. He says that the innate aspire of love and goodness makes him want to help all. As for Erasmus, a good prince is one who holds the life of each individual dearer than his own; and there is no selfishness.

I consider the Erasmian view point is more modern. A ruler who is very ambitious about his power and wealth will not have an everlasting image in the minds of his subjects. By killing, destroying and betraying, one accumulates wealth and power; but no glory. See the story of Ravana, the Asura king, who held Srilanka and kidnapped Sitha, the wife of Rama. Later, Ravana was killed by Rama. Erasmus thinks that a good ruler should assure peaceful and serene nights to his subjects and he should do everything and allows everything that will bring everlasting peace to his country, for he realizes that war is the source of all misfortunes to the state.

Like King Ahoka of India, later known as Budha, each ruler should realize that the cause of all misery is war. We cannot conquer the world with war, but with LOVE!! Where there is love there is no fear, and those who fear is not perfect in love. Love alone triumphs.