Machiavelli Goes to the Movies

Understanding The Prince through Television and Film

By (author) Eric T. Kasper, Troy Kozma

Publication date:

24 March 2015

Length of book:

218 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739195949

Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince remains an influential book more than five centuries after he wrote his timeless classic. However, the political philosophy expressed by Machiavelli in his tome is often misunderstood. Although he thought humans to be rational, self-interested creatures, and even though he proposed an approach to politics in which the ends justify the means, Machiavelli was not, as some have argued, simply “a teacher of evil.” The Prince’s many ancient and medieval examples, while relevant to sixteenth century readers, are lost on most of today’s students of Machiavelli. Examples from modern films and television programs, which are more familiar and understandable to contemporary readers, provide a better way to accurately teach Machiavelli’s lessons. Indeed, modern media, such as Breaking Bad, The Godfather, The Walking Dead, Charlie Wilson’s War, House of Cards, Argo, and The Departed, are replete with illustrations that teach Machiavelli’s critical principles, including the need to caress or annihilate, learning “how not to be good,” why it is better to be feared than loved, and how to act as both the lion and the fox. Modern media are used in this book to exemplify the tactics Machiavelli advocated and to comprehensively demonstrate that Machiavelli intended for government actors and those exercising power in other contexts to fight for a greater good and strive to achieve glory.

Introduction: “The Ends Justify the Means” or “One Must Consider the Final Result”?

Studying and Using History: Charlie Wilson’s War
Caress or Annihilate When Taking Power: The Godfather and Breaking Bad
Nip Political Problems in the Bud: Charlie Wilson’s War, Primary Colors, and A Bronx Tale
People Accustomed to Freedom Will Seek It Again: Braveheart and Red Dawn
The Difficulty of Introducing Something New and the Importance of Being Armed: The Untouchables and Charlie Wilson’s War
Bribery and Dirty Work: Lincoln, Richard III, and Wag the Dog
The Problems of Being in Charge without Prior Experience: Dave and Orphan Black
The Use of Cruelty: Hoffa, Wag the Dog, and The Untouchables
Reliance on the People: All the King’s Men and O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Rally ‘Round the Flag: Wag the Dog, Braveheart, and The Patriot
Power Can Be Exercised in Any Institution: The Da Vinci Code and The Manchurian Candidate
Keep Your Own Army and Prepare It for War: Braveheart, Heat, Alexander, and Independence Day
Vices versus Virtues and Learning Not to Be Good: Scarface, The Godfather, The Departed, and Richard III
Miserliness is Better than Liberality: Ghostbusters and The Patriot
It is Better to Be Feared than Loved: Band of Brothers, A Few Good Men, and A Bronx Tale
Deception: The Godfather, Primary Colors, The Walking Dead, and Bob Roberts
The Lion and the Fox: The Godfather, Breaking Bad, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Usual Suspects, and Argo
Pick a Side and Stick to Your Decisions in Politics: The Contender, Harry Potter, and House of Cards
The Need for Both Military and Popular Support: Lincoln, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Red Dawn
Honor Those with Talent and Hold Festivals: Gladiator, The Hunger Games, and House of Cards
Have Only a Few Trusted Advisors and Give them Wealth so they Remain Loyal: House of Cards, Breaking Bad, The Departed, and Lord of the Rings
Virtue versus Fortune: Election and Mad Men

Conclusions: Seeking Greater Glory

Machiavelli is one of the most famous philosophers of all time, and the advice he offers in The Prince is noticeably influential in politics and in popular culture. Through the lens of this book we see that we can also learn about Machiavelli through television and film. The chapters in Machiavelli Goes to the Movies piece together significant works of popular culture, and insightfully demonstrate their reflection of Machiavelli's ideas, and what movies and television can continue to teach us about philosophy.