PSC 3315 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Keeping Faith, Cesare Borgia
22 Feb 2016
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Lecture #6 [2/1] document: the prince by machiavelli. Chapter 17 cruelty and mercy: example: cesar borgia. He is cruel, but his cruelty was for the better of his state. Machiavelli is comfortable with cruel leadership if it"s good for the. Why pair cruelty and mercy? people: better to be cruel/feared if you have to choose between that and loved. Fear is held by dread of punishment; leads to cooperation. Faith: keeping promises, etc: machiavelli says that you have to get done what you need to regardless of your promises. You have to have raison d"etat" (reason of the state) All decisions can be just for the protection of the state. Two kinds of combat: combat with laws, combat with force. Pacta sunt servanda/rebus sic stantibus: more descriptive than prescriptive; how things just tend to work, pacts are binding as long as the conditions apply , international law.
