How Machiavellian was Machiavelli? Public lecture by Quentin Skinner

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  • Опубликовано: 23 дек 2024

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  • @kit888
    @kit888 3 года назад +51

    00:01 Introduction to Machiavelli
    03:25 The Prince
    Practical advice about statecraft, to new princes
    05:25 Virtu
    Indispensable set of qualities to succeed
    Principle task of understanding The Prince is to understand Virtu
    1. Power to offset Fortuna (luck)
    2. Power to get lucky (Fortuna is not providence), ability to seize opportunities
    3. Enables you to maintain your state, standing, as a ruler
    4. Maintain the jurisdictions and institutions of the state
    15:50 Hiero of Syracuse
    16:40 Avoid being hated and despised
    Ok to be feared
    18:15 Getting power
    Many ways
    Only one way to maintain power - Virtu
    19:05 Goal should be glory
    Do great things
    21:30 Other books on advice to princes
    Justice is essential
    Cicero - faith, keep your word
    Seneca - liberality/generosity, clemency (going beyond being just)
    Three princely virtues - justice, generosity, clemency
    26:50 Chapter 15
    Machiavelli disagrees, departs massively from conventional advice
    Follow the three princely virtues only as long as they help you maintain your state (consequentialism)
    Princely judgement (Virtu) is judging when that is right
    32:00 Chapter 18 How far should you keep your promises?
    Keep your word only if it helps you maintain your state
    This is confirmed by experience e.g. Pope Alexander VI
    So that people don't care, be brilliant at dissembling, like a fox
    35:05 Summary
    Be good if possible, be evil when necessary
    That's a virtuous prince
    But this is a crude analysis
    36:10 However, that is only true for justice
    Not for liberality or clemency - How Machiavellian was Machiavelli?
    If they ruin you, how can they be virtuous?
    38:10 Thucydides
    Corcya civil war
    The first casualty is moral language
    Evil acts excused as virtues, good actions denigrated
    41:00 Aristotle, Art of Rhetoric
    Manipulate moral language to excuse vices (rhetoric)
    Quintilian - paradiastole (re-describing vices by using neighboring virtues)
    Interpretation #2 Thucydides - the rhetorical trick is *pointing out* the re-description of vices as virtues
    Rutilius Lupus, Rhetorical ad Herennium
    47:00 Chapter 16 Concerning Liberality
    What passes for the virtue of liberality (generosity) is the vice of extravagance
    Liberality can cause you to raise taxes ==> hatred ==> lose state
    Therefore being miserly is not a vice
    48:00 Chapter 17 Concerning Cruelty and Clemency
    What passes for the virtue of clemency is the vice of over indulgence
    Scipio was lax
    50:25 Louis XII
    Parsimonious, therefore could fight wars without raising taxes, therefore generous
    51:10 Cesare Borgia
    Cruel at the outset, but brought peace and prosperity, therefore merciful
    51:45 Summary
    Political virtue - will it help you maintain your state?
    Justice - often needs to be avoided
    True liberality always works
    True clemency always works

  • @imago9059
    @imago9059 8 месяцев назад +10

    Machiavelli was a genius when it came to uncovering and explaining the complexity of human behavior and how that applies especially in politics. People often forget to put him in the context of his time and have a broader picture of things. They would appreciate his writings more.

  • @enasshehadeh1
    @enasshehadeh1 2 года назад +26

    I’ll quote this to be the most true short describing sentence for the “prince “ book and among the many unjust and cruel explanations for machiavelli’s great mental faculties
    “The prince must be someone willing to do evil that good shall come of it “
    Thank you for the good lecture .

  • @Dancing77Kat
    @Dancing77Kat 3 года назад +6

    Brilliant lecture. I especially loved you touching upon disguising vices and when is virtue a vice. Thank you.

  • @adtiamzon3663
    @adtiamzon3663 2 года назад +13

    Professor Skinner, I admire your interpretation of Machiavelli's writing. Excellent! 👏👏❤

    • @joslynaarons6885
      @joslynaarons6885 Год назад

      Professor thank you for your magnificent interpretation of Machiavelli’s greatest work, Il Principe. Of all the multiple interpretations I have listened to, about 20, yours tops it all. Grazie mille Professore 🙏

  • @rishabhkumar4328
    @rishabhkumar4328 4 года назад +29

    This is the finest commentary on Machiavelli I have seen or read.

  • @DryNox
    @DryNox 5 лет назад +64

    12:30 ‘Moses cheated because God told him what to do, so that doesn’t really count’ I find this statement quite hilarious

  • @coffeefrog
    @coffeefrog 9 лет назад +50

    This is a captivating and rich lecture on another incredible mind! Thanks very much to Prof. Skinner!

  • @humbertogonzalezespinoza7806
    @humbertogonzalezespinoza7806 3 года назад +4

    Notable clase del profesor Skinneer acerca de cómo se maneja realmente el poder desde siempre y hasta hoy y en el futuro......

  • @jamesbaseman7297
    @jamesbaseman7297 8 лет назад +23

    Im a big Machiavelli fan and i would like to thank you for this most interesting lecture prof. Skinner

  • @mykindgeeman
    @mykindgeeman 11 лет назад +14

    Thoroughly absorbing- an amazing lecture and lecturer

  • @SuperBennyboy12345
    @SuperBennyboy12345 11 лет назад +12

    The first thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing lecture i have ever seen on the subject of Machiavelli

  • @julesjgreig
    @julesjgreig 3 года назад +4

    Best talk I’ve heard on Machiavelli, thank you very much.

  • @calvinginya718
    @calvinginya718 6 лет назад +5

    I play this every night b4 going to bed sad I wish I could find more like this

    • @ripred42
      @ripred42 5 лет назад +1

      Here's some similar videos I have found ruclips.net/p/PLY9znvXifSMwsjZXYLa_rRF5wtbw62YC6

  • @renatosassone-corsi1042
    @renatosassone-corsi1042 Год назад

    Excellent, wonderful speaker..!

  • @rafabetlejewski6722
    @rafabetlejewski6722 4 года назад +3

    Wonderful lecture and fantasticly delivered

  • @MichelMawon4982
    @MichelMawon4982 4 года назад +15

    About 40 minutes in, I think he aptly describes a lot if what's going in today's society regarding the seizing of moral language to advance partisan ideals and redescribing vices as their closely related virtues.

    • @Hsaelt
      @Hsaelt 3 года назад

      Woah, well said. Didn't expect from a black woman, no offence.

    • @Hsaelt
      @Hsaelt 2 года назад

      @Revisionist what

    • @Hsaelt
      @Hsaelt 2 года назад

      @Revisionist why u mock me so 🥺🥺🥺

    • @Hsaelt
      @Hsaelt 2 года назад +2

      @Revisionist was it really racist tho? Have you seen a typical black american female political take comment?
      Anyhow sure: Spiker-Man, a friendly neighborhood racist.

    • @Hsaelt
      @Hsaelt 2 года назад

      @Revisionist you're welcome, friend.

  • @gustavonevescoelho5826
    @gustavonevescoelho5826 3 года назад +1

    Excellent lecture! Thanks!

  • @pascaltremblay6752
    @pascaltremblay6752 10 лет назад +8

    Great lecture!

  • @Marjorie-yt7pb
    @Marjorie-yt7pb Год назад

    Great illuminating Lecture☺️👍

  • @swar3194
    @swar3194 9 месяцев назад +1

    love from persia andfire the sound guy

  • @maxrappricciardi8218
    @maxrappricciardi8218 3 года назад +2

    Great lecture. 👏👏👏👏

  • @breezebugatti6942
    @breezebugatti6942 8 лет назад +3

    Thank you kindly Sir!

  • @yassinjouihri1578
    @yassinjouihri1578 5 лет назад +20

    In italian, the word "stato" can mean also a state of something, for example a mental state or an emotional state.

    • @epic6434
      @epic6434 3 месяца назад

      The emotional state of involvement is for love of course being faithful to country or class to race and maybe extreme to do so without mental capacity to be virtuous I think but it may lean to thick on one side or the other becoming distant from the balance.

  • @amitojha9
    @amitojha9 3 года назад

    Thank you Professor! A lot.

  • @EvieMatavelli
    @EvieMatavelli 4 года назад +11

    The analysis of chapter XV should be its own a TED talk. As a descendant of the man, this is a great class.

  • @eduardoc_costa
    @eduardoc_costa 3 года назад +1

    Excellent lecture.

  • @AmNotHere911
    @AmNotHere911 11 лет назад +20

    Correct me if I'm wrong but the professor's citation of Thucydides description of the perversion of moral language is uncanny in its similarities between Orwell's description of double think.

    • @taranmurray7046
      @taranmurray7046 5 лет назад +3

      I think you are on the right track here as well.

  • @shakespearaamina9117
    @shakespearaamina9117 7 лет назад +6

    one of the amazing professors to learn from! Thank you sir indeed

  • @sunofsotep8265
    @sunofsotep8265 3 года назад +1

    My gosh That was utterly brilliant! Piercingly insightful, and absolutely fascinating.

  • @husnibadi834
    @husnibadi834 4 года назад +1

    Thank you

  • @nelsongonzalez4533
    @nelsongonzalez4533 4 года назад

    Nice ☺️ and clear lecture 👍 on the Prince by Machiavelli.

  • @oedrogonzalez7056
    @oedrogonzalez7056 5 лет назад +1

    Great video

  • @Rico-Suave_
    @Rico-Suave_ Год назад

    Watched all of it 53:46

  • @Limitless_P
    @Limitless_P 8 месяцев назад

    Where can I physically attend lectures like these?

  • @helenemasour9256
    @helenemasour9256 4 года назад

    fantastic lecture

  • @nelsongonzalez4533
    @nelsongonzalez4533 4 года назад +1

    A good leader should show leadership by force if necessary and by deeds instead of words, however, a charismatic leader with a strong character and personality could take him very far. Virtud means his attributes and his skills. Thank you very much.

    • @epic6434
      @epic6434 3 месяца назад

      I think being a leader is allowing or denying chain of commands individually if needing authorization from the top being informed of operations but having explanation for the potential back lash which falls on their watch so he'd obviously need experienced advisors present incase the current position has a good vision for the importance to execute will need communication skills no doubt but not unless they have been denied for reputation that type of character is subject to question so why should we be well regulated? For competence sake

  • @chiefprimo5827
    @chiefprimo5827 6 лет назад +2

    Thanks for this youtube post

  • @leonardodavid2842
    @leonardodavid2842 2 года назад +5

    Just a note, by empeor Antoninus, Machiavelli means Caracalla.
    Today we distinguish between Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Pius Augustus (Caracalla), as Antoninus (because he was the first emperor with such a surname), Marcus Aurelius (cutting it short to avoid confusion) and Caracalla (a nickname), since he had stolen the name in order to associate himself to previous greater emeperors.
    This is the same thing we do today for Caligula. Ancient historians called him Divus Gaius to distinguish him, bur his real name was Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus (which however was also the name of many other prominant Roman figures including emperors).
    Bad emperors in general today are just called by nicknames. Great emeperors always keep their favorite name (usually… Augustus is agustus, despite the fact that all emperors were called Augustus).
    However during the renaissance Caracalla was still called by his prefered name (his fake surname) of Antoninus. The real antoninus was called Antoninus Pius.
    For example, the baths of Caracalla in the Noli map of Rome are called antoninian baths. As opposed to the baths of Caracalla as we call them today.

  • @jscott1622
    @jscott1622 3 года назад +1

    That point about Clemency and Liberality was extremely interesting and something I missed in my reading of The Prince

    • @epic6434
      @epic6434 3 месяца назад

      I haven't read it just taking the opionated version of the speaker could be wrong but he's giving the lecture not Niccolo it's probably a test but we can only take what is given being that the Prince is a state of mind and thought subject to interpretation.

  • @ahsanmohammed1
    @ahsanmohammed1 3 года назад

    Thank you.

  • @yassinjouihri1578
    @yassinjouihri1578 5 лет назад +2

    There are some mistakes in subtitles, one of them is when he uses latin words but are targeted as italian word

  • @artemisios
    @artemisios 7 лет назад +7

    Per par condicio lo dico in italiano. Il termine "virtù" aveva, ai tempi di Machiavelli, e anche adesso, il significato di "forza", in particolare, di una forza che agisce e crea delle conseguenze. In italiano parliamo tuttora di virtù di una legge, di un ragionamento, o di un farmaco.

  • @RozenKnight1990
    @RozenKnight1990 11 лет назад +4

    Wonderful lecture. Thank you

  • @hawk0485
    @hawk0485 8 лет назад +6

    Consequentialism, when applied to the shortest period of time becomes opportunism and when applied to eternity becomes idealism. To what temporal horizon does Machiavelli bind his judgement of virtue?

    • @ofamily8180
      @ofamily8180 5 лет назад

      Good question? 🤔

    • @fukpoeslaw3613
      @fukpoeslaw3613 3 года назад

      max one lifespan
      ofcourse

    • @rumpelstiltskin8841
      @rumpelstiltskin8841 3 года назад

      Nice interpretation of consequentialism (not really)

    • @hawk0485
      @hawk0485 3 года назад

      @@rumpelstiltskin8841 I'm just playing with the idea, no need to be sarcastic and mean :)

  • @bryfromportal
    @bryfromportal 10 лет назад +65

    This is exactly what Machiavelli would have wanted us to believe

    • @Mike-hu6ch
      @Mike-hu6ch 10 лет назад +10

      So deep. Humans are ridiculous man.

    • @user-hu3iy9gz5j
      @user-hu3iy9gz5j Год назад +8

      In reality, Machiavelli was the first anti-machiavellian

    • @MartinDrummond-x6q
      @MartinDrummond-x6q Год назад +5

      Machiavelli would not be remotely concerned with what we might believe.

    • @jalgaonmh1931
      @jalgaonmh1931 9 месяцев назад

      What do you means. .. what he want to believe..i don't understand that..?

    • @LuLu-tg1ok
      @LuLu-tg1ok 2 месяца назад

      💥

  • @sofiahathaway8024
    @sofiahathaway8024 3 года назад

    have anyone of you read the book 'Quest for Freedom. An Interview with Quentin Skinner'? I'd really recommend it.

  • @nomos6508
    @nomos6508 5 лет назад +3

    there is quentin tarantino... and quentin skinnner

  • @OhGeeWillickersMister
    @OhGeeWillickersMister 3 месяца назад +2

    I just read this book and even with what is a less precise translation, it is amazing how people take things out of context. He was not telling people to be unscrupulous or unethical, to step on everyone to reach your goals and to not care about other people as long as you get what you want, but to be wise. In the classroom, you had better believe that strict teachers get better results that nice ones that students know won't hold them to consequences. Yet just as he says in the book, too much strictness without regard to their well being will make you hated. And yes, sometimes bad things are done in the name of keeping order and maintaining that well being, like could be argued about the atom bomb during WWII. It was dropped by Truman, but it was first funded by Roosevelt. FDR had the wisdom to know how to be loved, he originated so many programs to lift up the American people, yet he also was wise enough to know such a weapon might be necessary. That's what Machevelli was talking about. I think the concept has been perverted in modern society a la greed is good, but Machiavelli says greed is bad and does not advocate squeezing pennies out of people just because you can. I could go on and on. I look forward to reading Quentin's books, thank you for this informative video.

  • @jekareloaded9343
    @jekareloaded9343 3 года назад

    What's wrong with the sound

  • @pauline6322
    @pauline6322 5 лет назад +1

    Insightful lecture! Thank you so much for this! :)

  • @michaelemorrison
    @michaelemorrison 8 лет назад +4

    very good lecture.

  • @NeilFLiversidge
    @NeilFLiversidge 3 года назад

    I can't find that justice quote attributed to Saki. Are you sure he said it?

    • @theocave7108
      @theocave7108 3 года назад +2

      He's referring to Sacchi (humanist writer)

  • @darkrebel123
    @darkrebel123 Год назад

    ugh I cant hear him. the volume is too low even with all my volume settings maxed out

  • @onagoity
    @onagoity 9 лет назад

    very good one

  • @BossChronicles
    @BossChronicles 9 лет назад

    What should i major in and what career should i pursue to be like him

    • @BossChronicles
      @BossChronicles 8 лет назад

      +Sven Meier stfu

    • @marietoft1876
      @marietoft1876 8 лет назад

      Philosophy and history of philosophy of course :-) unless you mean machiaveli in which case diplomat and writer who reads philosophy

  • @rakitipakiti
    @rakitipakiti 8 лет назад +12

    What a fucking boss!! I loved this lecture!

  • @emilioperez6435
    @emilioperez6435 5 лет назад +1

    I wonder how high machiavelli would of scored on Robert Hare's psychopathic test.

  • @user-hu3iy9gz5j
    @user-hu3iy9gz5j Год назад

    Now we're asking the real questions

  • @ninirema4532
    @ninirema4532 2 года назад

    super

  • @triumphbobberbiker
    @triumphbobberbiker 2 года назад

    Grandioso

  • @watchit387
    @watchit387 4 года назад

    In these 50 minutes, I was taken 100 meters below my intellectual depth

  • @mellownuance
    @mellownuance 5 лет назад +5

    17:34, lets see if trump retains in the following term

  • @Coyote_Trickster
    @Coyote_Trickster 3 года назад +1

    14:32

  • @nicolemusic2242
    @nicolemusic2242 Месяц назад

    44:54 - POINTING out abuout realism etc

  • @3dferr
    @3dferr 11 лет назад +2

    a good explanation about the concept of virtù.

  • @APerez89
    @APerez89 Год назад

    Lmao "severus" as his bame implies 🔥🔥🔥😂😂😂😂

  • @littlegreenguy4130
    @littlegreenguy4130 4 года назад

    19:30

  • @hanzketchup859
    @hanzketchup859 2 года назад +1

    Glory is greater than oneself , to be a glorious figure , according to Machiavelli was to restore Rome , how is that a personal credit ? Obviously no man is an island , Machiavelli was a masterful recruiter who valued the Republic , Glory is shared and lasting if the Republic is maintained .

  • @Soloohara
    @Soloohara 2 года назад

    his italian accent was on point

  • @TheLastOilMan
    @TheLastOilMan 9 лет назад +2

    how can someone be so naive to say these issues doesn't hold now , because we are in a "Democracy " ....weird , ! Where has he been..oh yes academia !

  • @Sunscreen1973
    @Sunscreen1973 9 лет назад +1

    Increasingly topical. All we need now is reality.. oh hang on..

  • @spotify80
    @spotify80 Год назад

    The Art of Politics?

  • @RogueGaming94
    @RogueGaming94 2 года назад

    would he consider duterte a machiavellian?

    • @RogueGaming94
      @RogueGaming94 2 года назад

      by virtue, liberality and clemency.

  • @frederickmorris2216
    @frederickmorris2216 Год назад

    He forgot one of his own rules as an adviser to power ...do not offer advice unless asked for it from the ruler..the reason being that a ruler must never see you as smarter or a threat to him/her..

    • @OhGeeWillickersMister
      @OhGeeWillickersMister 3 месяца назад

      Maybe that's why he waited until years after his died (in his bed of natural causes) to publish it...

  • @mohamedmansor61
    @mohamedmansor61 11 лет назад +1

    Virtue

  • @diegoibanez2962
    @diegoibanez2962 2 года назад

    After the watching the whole speech I liked the last part when talks about vices and virtue... i dont like their first part definition of virtue with their examples, also how described clemency, and justice

  • @legaliseuprebuggiun
    @legaliseuprebuggiun 3 года назад

    A lightweight beginner by today standard

  • @villiestephanov984
    @villiestephanov984 6 лет назад

    The word is strongly rooted in Amalekite' s
    " overture ". Its literal meaning : " Be Instructed, O Jerusalem !"
    ( Prof. Chomsky would have said it , probably 100 times an hour that, that is which makes "the Prince of the selfish gin ")

  • @Freezencrash
    @Freezencrash 9 лет назад

    Luck?

  • @品味历史品味人生
    @品味历史品味人生 4 года назад +2

    Machiavelli cleared the bush, Thomas Hobbs built the building.

  • @chasemorello60
    @chasemorello60 2 месяца назад

    🦾

  • @bryanfurigay7044
    @bryanfurigay7044 2 года назад +1

    whos here because of BBM? lol

  • @papageno1849
    @papageno1849 3 года назад +2

    Ok, both "Romagna" and "Romania" are nice countries... but not they aren't the same thing 😏

  • @cliflottjr4435
    @cliflottjr4435 7 лет назад +2

    I've only listened to 16 minutes of this lecture and have found much from this professor to disagree with.
    However, I'm all for Nicollo M. being a topic of discussion though...

    • @bangersinlondon2231
      @bangersinlondon2231 7 лет назад +1

      You should go to a public lecture and ask a question...very easy to do.
      Bet you don't but...

    • @AngelMartinez-lu3ls
      @AngelMartinez-lu3ls 3 года назад

      @@bangersinlondon2231 In this day n age the tediousness of monotony of researching & referencing is no longer in the equation. Now you just ask Google n vola! You have the answer to your question(s)...

  • @jensibowable
    @jensibowable 8 лет назад +9

    Why does he have to say men are source material here, did feminists break in here as well?

  • @jeannenicolas1723
    @jeannenicolas1723 6 лет назад +1

    He wrote The Prince in order to preserve his life. He could have been afraid of The Mdecis.

    • @joeturc1
      @joeturc1 4 года назад

      Fear is the most effective motivator 🤔puts his commentary in perspective

  • @ergbudster3333
    @ergbudster3333 11 лет назад +2

    He says if Smith hadn't had a heart attack we would never have heard of Tony Blair. This he says is an example of fortuna at work. Hmm. For a Machiavelli scholar he isn't very Machiavellian, is he.

  • @dushyantshukla8754
    @dushyantshukla8754 7 лет назад +1

    Seneca bad luck that was .... hahaha

  • @pingukutepro
    @pingukutepro 3 года назад

    This awesome video makes me disgust the popular culture depiction of him.

  • @diegoibanez2962
    @diegoibanez2962 2 года назад

    Talks too much about concepts and thoughts, its far away from reality and living politics you extract anything... its just like schollars speech and Machiavelli its a practical guidebook from that time on how princes and rulers should behave and act to adquire Power or Mantain their thrones.

  • @vinozarazzi5633
    @vinozarazzi5633 2 года назад +1

    Nothing "successful" about Tony Blair - a hollow nothing in an empty suit.

    • @user-hu3iy9gz5j
      @user-hu3iy9gz5j Год назад

      If Blair wasn't successful, in one sense or the other, we wouldn't be aware of his existence

    • @vinozarazzi5633
      @vinozarazzi5633 Год назад +1

      @@user-hu3iy9gz5j Putin is equally "successful" - both are WEF/Bilderberg Puppets

  • @jarrodyuki7081
    @jarrodyuki7081 2 года назад

    machiavelli and ayn rand >>>kant nietzche >>than fyodor or schopenhaeur.

  • @nanayponsing9390
    @nanayponsing9390 2 года назад

    PINKLAWANS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THIS CHANNEL.

  • @bbok1616
    @bbok1616 7 месяцев назад

    Sleepy Joe is Scipio

  • @josephsellers5978
    @josephsellers5978 10 месяцев назад

    Not near as Machiavellian as Christ and that bs kingdom

  • @matthewrobinson7427
    @matthewrobinson7427 3 года назад

    I think he's trying to fool the world my opinon I don't believe he can even see straight therefore it's not a proven fact