The World's Best Book Summaries
What are the two types of government, according to Machiavelli? What’s the ideal form of government? Niccolò Machiavelli uses the first few chapters of The Prince to describe different kinds of government. According to Machiavelli, governments can be separated into two types: republics and principalities. Read more to understand the difference between these two forms of government.
What’s Machiavelli’s advice regarding military forces? Why does he warn against using hired and borrowed soldiers? In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli distinguishes three types of armies: hired forces (mercenaries), borrowed forces, and personal forces. According to Machiavelli, mercenaries should be avoided, borrowed forces are risky, and personal armies are the way to go. Continue reading for Machiavelli’s reasons on why hired and borrowed forces aren’t worth it.
What does The Prince instruct national leaders to do? Is it an accurate depiction of Renaissance political life? In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli instructs the reader on how princes may seize, maintain, and defend their power, encouraging them to embrace cruelty and deception as necessary tools in their arsenal. He does this through simple maxims and historical examples. Here’s our overview of the lessons that Machiavelli teaches in The Prince.
Is it truly better to be feared than loved? Why does Machiavelli think so? This assertion from The Prince has become an adage over the centuries. You’ve probably heard it, but you might not know what Machiavelli means and what his argument is. Continue reading to understand why Machiavelli believes that it is better to be feared than loved.
Might Cesare Borgia have conquered all of Italy? Where did he go wrong? During the Italian Renaissance, Cesare Borgia found huge success and was poised for more. But, it all came crashing down around him. According to Machiavelli, Borgia might have stayed in power if he had been more prepared for life’s inevitabilities. Keep reading to learn how fortuna can destroy a prince.
Why don’t rich people pay taxes? Is the American taxation regressive or progressive? In the U.S., most of the tax burden is borne by low- and middle-income earners. The reason for this is that American taxation is regressive, pulling the bulk of public funds from taxes that come from regular families while a large portion of American wealth remains in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. Here’s why the ultra-rich pay less in taxes.
How does the legacy of slavery still reverberate amongst Black Americans? Should the American government provide reparations to descendants of American slaves? Most of the injustices Black Americans face are either caused or perpetuated by economic inequality. To eliminate inequality and the injustices that follow, the government should provide Black Americans with financial aid and enhance funding for low-income and majority-Black communities, according to the author of The 1619 Project. In this article, we will discuss how the modern financial injustices Black Americans face are the result of slavery and Jim Crow, and what slavery reparations should entail.
What did Eurasia’s government system look like? What factors contributed to the structure of their government? Eurasia’s society developed faster than most at the time thanks to their understanding of food production and their population density. These factors, along with a few more, led Eurasia to create a centralized government. Here’s why Eurasia developed a centralized government and how it was advantageous.
Why is the Black poverty rate so high in America? Why is the racial wealth gap so hard to close? For the majority of Americans, wealth is something that’s accumulated across generations through inheritance. But Black Americans have historically been left with little to no inheritance, making it much harder for them to gain success and wealth compared to white Americans. Keep reading to learn about the causes of Black poverty in America.
Why is gender-disaggregated data important? How are women discriminated against at a government level? Gender-disaggregated data is simply data that is separated by gender, but it’s extremely important. If the government collects gender-specific data, we can improve women’s standing in society. Check out the importance of gender-disaggregated data below.