... prince should found himself on that which is his, not on that which is dependent upon others" (Machiavelli, p.103). Since the nobles are unforgiving and greedy it would be dangerous if not downright suicidal for a prince to rely on their good will. Equally important, Machiavelli states that a prince, a political leader, has different concerns than the general public. For a prince, personal actions, which would be considered immoral or unvirtuous, may save lives or help the prince's country. In this way a prince is not immoral, but instead acts with a morality different in nature from the general public. Machiavelli gives several examples of this. Miserliness is considered a fault. Yet, a miserly prince "will come to be considered more generous when it is realized that his revenues are sufficient to defend himself against enemies that attack him, and to undertake campaigns without imposing special taxes on the ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now