In the second part, the author discusses the types of the army and the responsibilities of the monarch in military affairs. The army includes: reinforcements, mixed troops, mercenaries and their own troops. From a political point of view, any army represents a certain interest group, and the army serves its own substantive leadership. Therefore, the best way to make the army loyal is to build it yourself. Other armies, based on other interests, cannot embody and carry out the will of the monarch. Militarily, a wise monarch should: reorganize the army, train soldiers, think about strategy, read history and analyze success or failure.
The third part discusses how the monarch defends the country. Speaking of praise and criticism, generosity and meanness, cruelty and kindness, love and fear, keeping promises, being despised and hated, and so on. The monarch should put the national interests and the people's position first and even safeguard the national interests at all costs. Internally, Mingjun responded to the urgent needs of the people with clear rewards and punishments; As far as the monarch and his subjects are concerned, they are close to sages and far from villains; Internationally, enemies and friends are clear and stand firm; Only in this way can we win respect, maintain the operation of the country and even move towards prosperity.
The fourth part, taking Italy as an example, analyzes its past and present country and politics from a historical perspective, and advises the monarch at that time to strive for the liberation of Italy. This part has a wonderful discussion about "fate". "Fate is also the current situation. A monarch's behavior conforms to the characteristics of the times, and he will prosper, and vice versa. "
The author is a controversial thinker. His thoughts challenged the ideas of "ruling the country by virtue" and "serving people by virtue", analyzed the relationship between morality and politics, and put forward the idea that politicians should focus on the overall situation.
In The Prince, there are a lot of discussions about how the monarch should govern the army. Among them, the discussion on mercenaries, that is, "the standing army should be composed of its own nationals and opposed to foreign troops", was particularly original and incisive at that time, which had an important impact on the formation and development of modern European military thought. Therefore, Machiavelli was also praised by Engels as "the first modern military writer worth mentioning".
So it can be said that it is a book worth studying.
In this thin booklet, I am interested in many military and political views. However, when I read it for the first time, I was still shocked by a large number of views contrary to what I have been taught: "One good deed deserves another, and evil deserves another".
Some people say that he wrote the prince to express his loyalty and worship to the king, and also to please the king and develop his career. I don't agree with this statement. I agree with another view, that is, Machiavelli wrote The Prince out of patriotic enthusiasm rather than personal gain. Just like when the China Revolution had not found a way out, there were patriotic youths who hoped to revitalize China with fascist politics. It can be said that although Machiavelli himself sincerely yearned for advocating * * * and the system, it was indeed a desirable thing as long as the king could use his power and all open or hidden means to save Italy from dire straits and implement the monarchy. What is expounded in The Prince is only an individual's explanation of the method of saving the country with the help of the study of history and politics. And this, in the last chapter of The Prince, "Desiring to liberate Italy from barbarians", can clearly see his patriotic enthusiasm.
Therefore, although in many comments today, The Prince is still regarded as a book that teaches people to do evil, I think that for us now, The Prince still has the value of being reviewed repeatedly. Not to learn political skills, but today, as the largest socialist country in the world, our country is still isolated and hostile by a few individuals, groups and even countries. Studying the prince is a way to understand the enemy's tactics, even if it is not "fighting violence with violence."