Essay about Discourses on Livy Republics and the Decemvirate

Machiavelli, a political genius, paves a path for us to understand the logic on how to build a successful Republic or bring a Republic to ruin. Machiavelli seems to be neutral on his logic, by this I mean he does not side with only good or bad intentions. He clears this path so anyone can come in and take a Republic and mold it to their liking. The principality, aristocrats, and the popular are good for the republic, but almost inescapably turn wicked. This wickedness caused the decemvirate to form. We will look into the darkness of the decemvirate and show that even when pushed by the people it ended up turning for the worse until it was ruinous for the Roman republic. Eventually the decemvirate shifted the political view back towards†¦show more content†¦This quote by Machiavelli will show true on the creation of the decemvirate. A principality is run by a prince who may start off with good intentions but almost routinely gives in to tyrannical ways when the opportunity becomes available. If one prince rules a lifetime without becoming a tyrant it is almost inevitable for his heirs to become a tyrant. This handing down of status seems to be in Machiavellis eyes a sure way of becoming a tyrannical republic fast. The only way to slow this process down is by handing this principality over to the best candidate. The Aristocrats would take over from this tyrannical prince and would begin to rule trying to organize the republic once more. Thus the aristocrats also would rule in good faith also until the opportune moment and then they also would begin to look for their own values and greatness. When the people began to take notice of this there would now be another change. This time the Popular would come in and take over. Then again they would begin to look for their own ideals until the few would not agree and subsequently the Principality would then come back into effect. After all these said above failed them there was another style government being formed. The Decemvirate was created and all other forms of government were abandoned. This rule of the ten men was created in order to make laws for Rome. The Decemvirate also led armiesShow MoreRelatedNiccolà ² Machiavelli is very well known as an important and influential Italian historian,600 Words   |  3 Pagesknown as an important and influential Italian historian, politician, philosopher, and writer during the Renaissance. His book, Discourses on Livy, is a discussion regarding the classical history of early Ancient Rome, although it uses contemporary political examples and strays far away from the subject of Rome at times. It is presented as a series of lessons on how a republic should be started and structured. Most importantly, it constantly brings up the idea of corruption and corrupt people, which