Realists
Thucydides – Classical realist
Background
Born 460BCE father was an Athenian citizen, likely Thracian descent
Related to the statesman and general Miltiades
Older than 30 when he was elected strategos (military magistrate of great
importance)
Had influence on the island of Thasos, and in 424 was elected one of the
10 strategoi of the year, given command of the fleet in the Thraceward
region (based at Thasos)
Recalled, tried and exiled because he failed to prevent the city of
Amphipolis being captured by Spartan general Brasidas
His History finishes abruptly so historians presume he died suddenly and
violently
Works
History of the Peloponnesian War (translated into English by Hobbes,
written late 5th century BC)
Political and moral analysis of the 27-year war between Athens and
Sparta, divided into eight books and stops almost 7 years before the
end of the war (was carried on by other Greek historians)
He was interested in the political causes but also the conflict
between “the ever-active, innovating, revolutionary, disturbing
Athenians and the slower-moving, more cautious Peloponnesians,
especially the Spartans, “not excited by success nor despairing in
misfortune,” but quietly self-confident"
Makes note of the conservative v innovative ideologies of the
leaders within each state and the all-powerful land force of Sparta
and its allies v the naval power of Athens
Important passages include the last battles in Syracuse and the
Athenian retreat, hard fate of the town of Platea, harsh brutality of
Cleon who proposed to execute all men of Mytilene. Sparta won
Key Ideas
Believes that Athens could not conduct its foreign policy and be amoral,
and that Spartan moralism is hypocritical but preferable, as Spartan
spokesmen make the case that the war is fought to liberate Greek cities
His central theme is Athenian imperialism, the weaker being kept down by
the stronger. Believes that Sparta did not necessarily go to war with
Athens to prevents its tyranny, but because it feared its growing power
Quotes
“Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power,
while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must”
“Justice is a concern that no state can or should avoid”
Niccolo Machiavelli – classical realist
,Background
Born 1469 and died at age 58 in 1527 in Florence
Renaissance political philosopher, statesman and secretary of the
Florentine republic, had a reputation as an atheist and immoral cynic
Family was wealthy and prominent though father lived frugally as he was
barred from public office. Had a typical humanist education (Latin and
some Greek, philosophy) and went on to be head of the second chancery
at the age of 29 which put him in charge of foreign affairs
In this position he organized a militia and undertook more than 40
diplomatic and military missions to the court of France, Cesare Borgia (son
of Pope Alexander VI), Pope Julius II (successor to Alexander), Pisa, and the
court of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
When the republic was overthrown, he was imprisoned, tortured and
exiled in 1513 to his father’s small property where he wrote the Prince and
Discourses on Livy
When Lorenzo, ruler of Florence, Machiavelli was presented to the
cardinal, and was employed by him in 1520 to solve a bankruptcy case,
and later as official historian of the republic, and was commissioned by
Medici pope Leo X to write about the government of Florence
Finished his Histories of Florence in 1525 and was made chancellor to
superintend Florence’s fortifications in 1526
By 1527 the Medici were gone from Florence, but Machiavelli died within a
month of being denied the post of chancellor due to illness
Works
The Prince (1513)
Dedicated to Lorenzo de ’Medici who would go on to be the ruler of
Florence, on how to acquire power, create a state and keep it
Controversial because he says that rulers can commit violent or
dishonest actions to defend/expand their state
Cliffnotes: Chapters 1-11 discuss the different types of principalities
or states, Chapters 12-14 discuss the different types of armies and
the proper conduct of a prince as military leader, Chapters 15-23
discuss the character and behaviour of the prince, and Chapters 24-
26 discuss Italy's desperate political situation. The final chapter is a
plea for the Medici family to supply the prince who will lead Italy out
of humiliation
On the behaviour of the prince he essentially argues that it’s better
to break promises, be stingy, be cruel for self-interest, but also
achieve the goodwill of the people, advance their reputation and
have wise advisors
Discourses on Livy (around 1514-1519)
A “reasoning” that is long, difficult, and full of advice on how to
preserve republics
His argument that you need to ‘be alone’ to form a republic and
subsequent justification that Romulus has ‘excuse’ for killing his
brother is “as close as Machiavelli ever came to saying the end
justifies the means.”
, The longest chapter is on conspiracy, and he argues that “To reform
a corrupt state presupposes a good man, but to become a prince
presupposes a bad man”
The Art of War (1521)
A dialogue where humanists discuss philosophy and politics
The principal speaker is Fabrizio Colonna who argues contrary to
the humanists and says that the ancients are imitated in strong and
harsh things such as war
History of Florence (1521-1525)
Dedicated to Clement VII, straightforward, logical narrative of
Florence from the Middle Ages to that present, was commissioned
by Giuliano de’ Medici in 1520 to write, recounted a narrative of
corruption, decline and fall, condemning Florence for tyranny and
corruption, with an aversion to the Medici
Key Ideas
When leaders are not moral, they have to keep up appearances: “A prince
must always seem to be very moral, even if he is not”
From history.com: Until Machiavelli’s writing, most philosophers of politics
had defined a good leader as humble, moral and honest. Machiavelli shed
that notion, saying frankly, “It is better to be feared than loved, if you
cannot have both”
Cruelty can be better than kindness, he argued, explaining that “Making
an example of one or two offenders is kinder than being too
compassionate, and allowing disorders to develop into murder and chaos
which affects the whole community” Keeping one’s word can also be
dangerous, he said, since “experience shows that those who do not keep
their word get the better of those who do”
Argues that leaders cannot rely on luck, should shape their fortune
through charisma, cunning, and force.
Machiavelli observed Cesare Borgia first-hand, “witnessed as Borgia lured
his enemies to the city of Senigallia with gifts and promises of friendship
and then had them all assassinated.” - argued that this was the type of
leader Florence needed, a leader who can "be the fox to avoid the snares,
and a lion to overwhelm the wolves”
Quotes
"Whoever believes that great advancement and new benefits make men
forget old injuries is mistaken"
"The best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you
may have fortresses, they will not save you if you are hated by the
people"
Leaders must be realistic rather than moral, “You can never satisfy the
nobles by acting honourably, but you can satisfy the people. Regardless of
how a prince comes to power, he should make every effort to win the good
will of the people, or, in times of trouble, he will have no hope”
Carl von Clausewitz – neoclassical realism (also a Romantic)
Background
