The document summarizes Niccolo Machiavelli's work The Prince and draws comparisons to modern governments. It provides biographical details of Machiavelli and an overview of the key concepts in The Prince, including the two types of principalities - hereditary and new. For new principalities, it notes they are the hardest to govern as the ruler lacks internal support, like in Iraq and Afghanistan. For hereditary principalities, internal family ties provide more stability, similar to political families in the US.

1. Christopher Clair
Prof. Owens
ENG 1102
9 Oct. 2010
Machiavelli Reflected Through Modern Government
in The Prince

2. Nicollo Machiavelli
• 3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527
• Pupil to renowned Latin
teacher
– Paolo da Ronciglione
• Attended University of
Florence
• 1498: Named chancellor Fig. 1. Photo of Nicollo Machiavelli. Encyclopaedia
Britannica, Inc. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.
and secretary of the Second
Chancellor of Republic of
Florence

3. The Prince
• Published The Prince in
1532
– Five years after his death
• Lays foundation for
“How-To” rule over a
country
• Two types of principalities:
– Hereditary Fig. 2. The Prince. Buddycom. Web. 10 Oct. 2012
– New

4. Hereditary Principalities
• Easiest of the two to govern
• Ruling family heritage allows for locals
population support
– Harder for opposing forces to take control
• Comparable to U.S. elections
– Political families, i.e. Kennedy’s
– Difficult for politicians w/no family foundation in
government
• Lack of financial and partisan allies

5. New Principalities
• Hardest of the two to govern
• New ruler being an outsider lacks internal
support
• Comparable to:
– Iraq govt, Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Chaos continued due to lack of local support
– Afghanistan govt, Operation Enduring Freedom
• Key political positions advised by U.S. and NATO
• Continued resistance from local terrorist organizations

6. Works Cited
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 1 October 2012
<www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/354571/Niccolo-
Machiavelli>.
• Encyclopedia of World Biography. 30 September 2012
<www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Machiavelli-Niccol.html#b>.
• Ludlow, Lawrence. Machiavelli and U.S. Politics. 30 September
2012 <www.fff.org/comment/com0508f.asp>.
• McCormick, John P. Niccolo Machiavelli. 1 May 2012. 2 October
2012 <political-science.uchicago.edu/faculty-
workingpapers/McCormick%20-%20Niccolo%20Machiavelli.pdf>.
• Nederman, Cary. Niccolo Machiavelli. 2009. 1 October 2012
<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2009/entries/machiavelli>.