earticle

영어

The purpose of this paper lies in accounting for the relation between power and violence in Machiavelli’s Il principe. He wrote it, expecting the appearance of a new prince who could make Italy unified. The new prince as a ruler of the new principality is neither one who succeeded the power by heredity nor the one who is entrusted with power by consent. His power results from his own ability, that is virt. Virt does not mean morally good virtue but capability to effectively use means that is necessary for achieving political purpose. In other words, it is a kind of ability allows to use violence and cunning well. The new prince is a innovator who destroy old regime and construct new one. His innovation is done by violence. But his violence is justified in sofar as it is not just for destruction but for re-establishment of social order. Machiavelli claims that the prince’s violence is inevitable but it must be used in the right way. Using violence in the right way means that the prince should use it “straightforwardly” for his own safety and should not use it repetitively. On the other hand, violence used in the wrong way increases its strength and frequence. Violence used in the right way should result not in hatred but in fear of prince. Machiavelli suggests two kinds of advice that the new prince should consider to maintain his power. It is about his military power and behavior norm. The prince should have his own armies and expert in technique of war. And he should act immorally for his preservation. What Machiavelli asserts in the book is that power is acquired and maintained by violence. In short, violence is main means of power. However, the ruling relation made by violence is just the relation between forceful command and coerced submission. The ruled obey the order because of the fear of the ruler. In the sense that the prince should make the ruled follow ‘his own law’ to maintain his power, the violence is an unavoidable means. In this case, there is no room for justice. There is nothing but pursuit of keeping power. Everything is chosen and decided only from the point of the prince’s profit. But such a power-for-power principle, ignoring the right use of power, will make just inhuman and oppressive regime by means of violence.