According to Machiavelli, what qualities should the ideal Prince possess?

2.) According to Machiavelli, what should be the main concerns of the government?

        According to Machiavelli, it is important for a Prince to be both loved and fears. When using fear and force, he must act like two types of beasts; lions and foxes. He must act like a lion in order to recognize traps and avoid them and he must act like a for in order to frighten off “wolves [enemies]”. When a Prince is dealing with people, he must always let go of the promises which put him in a negative situation, or at disadvantage. He must realize that although promises are important at gaining trust, promises are not something on which a Prince can rely, since deceit and wretch exist among humanity.

3.) What is your reaction to Machiavelli’s ideas? In what ways have his ideas influenced statesmen in the 20th century?

        I particularly enjoyed reading Machiavelli’s work. I definitely found a lot which I related too and agreed with, however, there is a lot which I found to be inapplicable. I agreed with him on the notion that generosity is extremely important, however, being too generous puts you at a disadvantage. I also admired his ideas on having to adapt to the situation and create an image for yourself that can be praise; not blamed. In addition, I also found his notion on combining the aggressiveness of a beast and the wisdom and rationale of a man particularly interesting, and I specifically agree with his “the ends justify the means” theory.