Until recently, I had never really thought much about the justifications of war. It had never pertained to my life; however when the subject became a reality for me this past year, I began to delve into the depth of the philosophies, legalities, policies, and political theories relating to war, attempting to justify past wars. I looked at war from all points of view, as each side of the fight has its own justifications for pursuing conflict. From taking a course in ethics at my university to attending nearby political rallies for and against the recent war on Iraq, I found myself with an overall picture of everyone else’s views on the subject. I was still searching for my own justifications. It was only by chance that I had the good fortune of reading Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince for my freshman writing seminar.
Written in 1513, The Prince is regarded as one of the most controversial yet crucial works in the field of political science- controversial because Machiavelli’s views were in total contrast with the humanist beliefs and teachings of his time; crucial because the book captivated its readers, transforming many to analyze and adopt Machiavelli’s perspective. While the book was written in the sixteenth century, its ideas are very much applicable to the challenges of war that society faces today. In answering the question, “when is war justified?” I defer to Machiavelli. In his book, he promotes a society where morality is set aside as it obstructs power. He reflects that a leader should not consider whether his acts are moral or immoral while he acts in the favor of the state.
The Essay on Niccolo Machiavelli Political Wrote Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli was a political philosopher of the Renaissance. He lived from 1496-1527. Niccolo Machiavelli was also a very famous painter in his time. He painted many famous paintings that are seen in museums, books, and many other places. He was also involved in government throughout his life. Niccolo Machiavelli was a painter, political philosopher, Italian historian, an statesman for ...
While most might choose to disagree, I believe that the only way to justify war is to separate political from moral issues, a lesson learned from The Prince. Various philosophies of morality only create stickiness in the topic of justification of war. It is when you begin to analyze the utilitarianism’s and virtue ethics, etc. that the justifications of war become something of a moral sense. If these issues can be held separate from the political issues, what is in the best interest of the state will always triumph. It was only through reading Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince that I was finally able to realize why the different explanations I had been given on the justifications of the war I was a living part of had not resonated in me.
With strong influence from sixteenth century political theory, I believe that morality and politics need to be divided during war for the benefit of the state.
