Analyze, discuss, and interpet Machiavelli's Art of War Essay

Analyze, discuss, and interpet Machiavellis Art of War - Essay ExampleIn this case, with detailed discussion and analysis of the aspects of war, one can apply the theories, mores, virtues, and principles, to that of the nations affair and consequently to civilian life. Military and State Since the problem of an exaltation society or state has already been exhaustively discussed by Aristotelian and Socratic philosophers For Machiavelli, the problem that he would like to delve on is how to expand and retain the power of the state, which moldiness be ordered for the benefit of the greater good of the pot. To answer this, Machiavelli always would look back at history i.e. Rome, Sparta, Greece, and discovered a very important patternthat powerful empires emerge out of violent victories. And it is through this premise that he patterned his ideals of leadership as characterized by his Prince. For men change their rulers willingly, hoping to better themselves and this hope induces them to take up arms against him who rules (Machiavelli, The Prince). Ergo, one of the many important points that could be derived from The Art of War is that military leadership is alike to civil leadership. Because war is innate and inevitable as man is in constant conflict with himself, political objectives would be the defining force and or limit point of it. War is fought because of political motiveswhich again reinforces another premise that Machiavelli madethat civil and military life is inseparable. That the way we functionthe mores, principles, and standards that we apply in the military is alike applicable or could also govern civil actions. For instance, the discipline of the soldiers could be instilled to workers the essence of always being prepared for battlestability under pressure, is a mindset that could be adopted in civilian affairs to be able to handle pressures of everyday life. Military as an Expression of Power other important point that Machiavelli made is tha t military capabilities of a nation are the direct expression of power. The prince, to be an effective and powerful leader must also have an effective army. To prove his point, he again drew example from history Rome remained free four hundred years while gird Sparta eight hundred Many other Cities have been dis-armed, and have been free less than forty years. If a nation does not have an effective army, it must hire foreigners to fight its battle or for it to have someone defending its borders and citizens. But Machiavelli also warned that hiring foreigners for military could pose more dangers, as compared to maintaining your own, as these people could easily corrupt the citizens. When a nation has its own military, it has not other fear except of its own Citizens (Machiavelli, Art of War). Military Strategy and tactical manoeuvre vis-a-vis Politics According to Sun Tzu, the art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to synthe tic rubber or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which