How Machiavellian was Machiavelli? Public lecture by Quentin Skinner

Professor Quentin Skinner delivered a public lecture at the University of York, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the composition of Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince.
Professor Skinner is the Barber Beaumont Professor of the Humanities at Queen Mary, University of London.

[@adtiamzon3663]

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

[@joslynaarons6885]

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 🙏

[@DryNox]

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

[@kit888]

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

[@micheleinacharles-hazellem1968]

This is brilliant … thanks for the generosity

[@abrahamdecruz5128]

@@micheleinacharles-hazellem1968 wonderful summary. You understood the book well and its applicability. Gracias.

[@rishabhkumar4328]

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

[@breezebugatti6942]

Thank you kindly Sir!

[@enasshehadeh1]

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 .

[@gustavonevescoelho5826]

Excellent lecture! Thanks!

[@Dancing77Kat]

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

[@rafabetlejewski6722]

Wonderful lecture and fantasticly delivered

[@amitojha9]

Thank you Professor! A lot.

[@pascaltremblay6752]

Great lecture!

[@coffeefrog]

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

[@dirannerus8408]

The study of the Machiavellian thought or idea is a complex one and this lecture has done great justice introducing its literature. Thank you professor.

[@mykindgeeman]

Thoroughly absorbing- an amazing lecture and lecturer

[@jamesbaseman7297]

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

[@maxrappricciardi8218]

Great lecture. 👏👏👏👏

[@humbertogonzalezespinoza7806]

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

[@imago9059]

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.

[@renatosassone-corsi1042]

Excellent, wonderful speaker..!

[@eduardocarvalho1660]

Excellent lecture.

[@nelsongonzalez4533]

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

[@helenemasour9256]

fantastic lecture

[@calvinginya718]

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

[@ripred42]

Here's some similar videos I have found kzbin.info/aero/PLY9znvXifSMwsjZXYLa_rRF5wtbw62YC6

[@pauline6322]

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

[@Marjorie-yt7pb]

Great illuminating Lecture☺️👍

[@chiefprimo5827]

Thanks for this youtube post

[@oedrogonzalez7056]

Great video

[@julesjgreig]

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

[@yassinjouihri1578]

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

[@RozenKnight1990]

Wonderful lecture. Thank you

[@SuperBennyboy12345]

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

[@swar3194]

love from persia andfire the sound guy

[@husnibadi834]

Thank you

[@ahsanmohammed1]

Thank you.

[@EvieMatavelli]

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

[@onagoity]

very good one

[@leonardodavid2842]

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.

[@sunofsotep8265]

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

[@shakespearaamina9117]

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

[@nelsongonzalez4533]

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.

[@michaelemorrison]

very good lecture.

[@MichelMawon4982]

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]

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

[@revelations2044]

@@Hsaelt what xDD

[@Hsaelt]

@@revelations2044 what

[@revelations2044]

@@Hsaelt xDD

[@Hsaelt]

@@revelations2044 why u mock me so 🥺🥺🥺

[@bryfromportal]

This is exactly what Machiavelli would have wanted us to believe

[@Mike-hu6ch]

So deep. Humans are ridiculous man.

[@user-hu3iy9gz5j]

In reality, Machiavelli was the first anti-machiavellian

[@user-kp3db1wu4w]

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

[@jalgaonmh1931]

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

[@jscott1622]

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

[@sofiahathaway8024]

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

[@triumphbobberbiker]

Grandioso

[@artemisios]

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.

[@villiestephanov984]

..of particular Roman regiment.

[@user-hu3iy9gz5j]

Now we're asking the real questions

[@yassinjouihri1578]

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

[@ninirema4532]

super

[@AmNotHere911]

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]

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

[@3dFerr]

a good explanation about the concept of virtù.

[@mauriciorodriguez3066]

cool

[@PolarP_]

Where can I physically attend lectures like these?

[@nomos6508]

there is quentin tarantino... and quentin skinnner

[@rakitipakiti]

What a fucking boss!! I loved this lecture!

[@Rico-Suave_]

Watched all of it 53:46

[@NeilFLiversidge]

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

[@theocave7108]

He's referring to Sacchi (humanist writer)

[@emilioperez6435]

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

[@hawk0485]

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]

Good question? 🤔

[@fukpoeslaw3613]

max one lifespan ofcourse

[@vlad3192]

Nice interpretation of consequentialism (not really)

[@hawk0485]

@@vlad3192 I'm just playing with the idea, no need to be sarcastic and mean :)

[@BossChronicles]

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

[@BossChronicles]

+Sven Meier stfu

[@marietoft1876]

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

[@darkrebel123]

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

[@Soloohara]

his italian accent was on point

[@jekareloaded9343]

What's wrong with the sound

[@watchit387]

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

[@frederickmorris2216]

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..

[@hanzketchup859]

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 .

[@Sunscreen1973]

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

[@littlegreenguy4130]

19:30

[@mohamedmansor61]

Virtue

[@Coyote_Trickster]

14:32

[@APerez89]

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

[@villiestephanov984]

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 ")

[@diegoibanez2962]

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

[@klnine]

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 !

[@spotify80]

The Art of Politics?

[@legaliseuprebuggiun]

A lightweight beginner by today standard

[@mellownuance]

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

[@dengbona4406]

Lol, he didn’t

[@user-vs6eb2zw2s]

Machiavelli cleared the bush, Thomas Hobbs built the building.

[@bryanfurigay7044]

whos here because of BBM? lol

[@IamVengeanceGaming94]

would he consider duterte a machiavellian?

[@IamVengeanceGaming94]

by virtue, liberality and clemency.

[@jeannenicolas1723]

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

[@joeturc1]

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

[@cliflottjr4435]

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]

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

[@AngelMartinez-lu3ls]

@@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)...

[@Freezencrash]

Luck?

[@mewmannamwem6087]

Fertuna

[@ergbudster3333]

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.

[@papageno1849]

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

[@saurabhchauhan100]

😏

[@dushyantshukla8754]

Seneca bad luck that was .... hahaha

[@pingukutepro]

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

[@diegoibanez2962]

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.

[@jensibowable]

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

[@user-hu3iy9gz5j]

He is just appeasing the zeitgeist

[@jarrodyuki7081]

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

[@vinozarazzi5633]

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

[@user-hu3iy9gz5j]

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

[@vinozarazzi5633]

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

[@nanayponsing9390]

PINKLAWANS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THIS CHANNEL.

[@matthewrobinson7427]

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

[@AngelMartinez-lu3ls]

?????

[@josephsellers5978]

Not near as Machiavellian as Christ and that bs kingdom