machiavelli, Aristotle, August

Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince examines the nature of power and his views of power in the leadership that he observed in his time. Machiavelli discusses power over the people, dictatorial power, and the power with the people. The struggle to retain, hold, and apply one power is human nature and this nature is agreeable with Aristotle's argument that "man is a political animal." In The Prince, Machiavelli discusses two distinct groups of people, the political …

…one person but the whole. The ethics and moral teachings of these three philosophers are very similar. Perhaps the similarity is the result of the similar goals of establishing a well a maintain state. Regardless it is clear that, at least in this life, according to Augustine that we have to put ourselves after our city. Or we should accompany ourselves with those that are beneficial and distance ourselves from those that are too ambitious.