The Purpose Of Government In Machiavelli's The Prince

Is the purpose of government today, similar to that of philosophers of the past, or has there been a shift in political thought? This essay will argue that according to Machiavelli’s The Prince, the purpose of government is to ensure the stability of the state as well as the preservation of the established ruler’s control, and that the best form of government should take the form of an oligarchy. In contrast, in his book, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argues that the purpose of government should be to preserve the peace and security of men and, that the best form of government would be an absolute monarchy which would sanction such conditions. This essay will utilize themes of glory, material advantage, peace and stability to illustrate

In regards to glory, Machiavelli argues that, rulers should study the actions of admirable men. They should learn how to conduct themselves when at war, study why some battles were won and others lost, so they will know what to imitate or to avoid. In regards to such education, he states, “above all [the ruler] should set himself

To give little gifts is to dishonour, because it is but alms, and signifies an opinion of the need of small helps” (L 10, 21). He also says, “covetousness of great riches and ambition of great honours are honourable, as signs of power to obtain them” (L 10, 47). In society, in small groups it is common, “to rob and spoil one another has been a trade, and so far from being reputed against the law of nature that the greater spoils they gained, the greater their honour” (L 17, 2). This reinforces the need for security and defence of the people within the state. The purpose of the government is, “to defend them from invasion of foreigners and the injuries of one another, and thereby to secure them in such sort as that by their own industry” (L 17,