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The Western Canon Mailing List
Moderator: Paul John Barnette Jr.
Activation Date: March 8, 1997
Current Date:  August 25, 1997
Current Membership: 98
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In response to all fellow participants regarding our discussion of "The Prince."

It seems to us that the argument is not conjoined; if our understanding is
correct we are arguing about two different matters.

It seems that most of you are arguing for:

1)  This book as an amoral treatise.

2)  The "soundness" of Machiavelli's prescriptions in giving primacy to
what is expedient (if and when necessary) over what is "just" for the
attainment, ruling and preservation of a principality.

3)  The sanctioning of these policies not only as sound, but applicable in a
variety of contemporary circumstances.
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Whereas, we and Mr. Sutherland argue that these notions, being in conflict
with human nature, moral virtue, and common sense, are pernicious.

Our position in brief:

1)  All of the great books, with the exception of those on pure science
deal primarily with moral issues.

2)  Ethics and politics are the two main branches of moral philosophy.

3)  Considerations of justice is our chief moral obligation to others.

4)  Throughout the history of Western moral philosophy and religion, there
has been a consensus that the desire for, or love of, money, fame, and
power, is vicious.

5)  Human nature and common sense are the foundations of moral and
political philosophy. Man, being a social as well as political animal, has
the natural (inalienable) rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

6)  Governments, whose constitutions and/or policies that best secure and
protects these rights, are best.

7)  Man has a natural right to a voice in his being governed. A democratic
constitutional republic with universal suffrage, best serves this right.
This was as true in Aristotle's day as in Machiavelli's day.

8)  In a democratic constitutional republic it is the citizen who is
sovereign. In principalities, it is the monarch who is sovereign,
reigning (power) over their "subjects," as they are not citizens.

We trust this helps to clarify matters.

Adler/Weismann
Center for the Study of The Great Ideas

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