Critical reading test of political power in "The Prince" by Nicolas machiavel using Democratic Republic of the Congo and Africa as model systems

Abstract

The Prince of Nicolas Machiavel is one of the most widely read books. Since its publication, it has been subjected to numerous analyses and multiple interpretations. For a long time, it has been the instrument of several political leaders, and he has bequeathed principles on which political systems have based their ideology. The work is born from the historical-political context well known of a man and his State. It is then a question of the personal and food crisis that overwhelms the unemployed diplomat, who was Secretary of the Florentine Republic alongside with Gonfalonier Pierro Soderine for 15 years, knew the great political antechambers of Europe in this capacity, will have to wait for 14 years on his terms until the conjecture becomes favourable to him again. In this work, Machiavel pleads for the fate of his country, "Italy", and its occupation by barbarians. His concern and dream was that a brave man would rise up and give his country a new form! It is in times of crisis (crisis: political, economic, social...) that new theories emerged. Thus in 1513, the purgatory moment of the diplomat allowed the birth of the thinker, henceforth was born his work commonly known as "The Prince"! As for the Prince, he was put on the index by the Council of Trent in 1545, since the speech contains the most openly bold, if not the most provocative, political thoughts; and this is what will also earn Machiavel his early prohibition in the States of the Pope. Then his being put on the index for cynical reflections on the real use of religion as an instrument of domination. Machiavel told the Prince what he is aiming for, is the conservation of his State. To this end, he puts holy religion between these means. Thus he says that the Prince must not make it a State either than it is suitable and useful to his State: "and the Prince must sometimes be religious and devout". We can now ask ourselves the question of what "The Prince" really is.