Socratic Analysis of Machiavelli's The Prince Anonymous College

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli and Socrates proposed radically different ideas on how one should live their life. On one hand, Machiavelli deems it foolish to follow a life of justice and truth as he believes that it will ultimately lead to one’s self-destruction. On the other hand, Socrates thinks that as long as one lives a moral and virtuous life, one cannot be harmed. Ultimately, Machiavelli believes that truth and justice can be negated for self-preservation, whereas Socrates contended that truth and justice must come before self-preservation.

Machiavelli understands the world to be one where every man is fundamentally self-interested. Living a life of truth and virtue ignores this reality. He asserts that people would realize that “there are some ways of behaving that are supposed to be virtuous, but would lead to your downfall, and others that are supposed to be wicked, but will lead to your welfare and peace of mind” (Machiavelli 48). It is important for one to grasp that it is sometimes necessary to be immoral and to ignore the principles of justice, fairness and equity as others are doing the same. In other words, the way one lives their life should be up to their own discretion and they must take into account...