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Practice Projects
1. Imagine that you work for a company that is managed entirely on the principles outlined in The Prince. What would this company be like? Describe it from the point of view of an entry-level employee. How would this person be treated, and what could they expect from the company? Then describe it from the point of view of an executive. How would this executive view the employees, and what would this executive's relations with others be like? Consider the company's competitors. If they were also Machiavellian companies, what would interactions between the companies be like? How would a non-Machiavellian company fare against a Machiavellian one?
2. Outline and discuss Machiavelli's assumptions about violence and the use of force in The Prince. What does he see as the role of force in a society? How should force be used or controlled? Then compare this view with that of a noted non-violent leader (the best known examples are Martin Luther King, Jr., or Mahatma Gandhi, but you may choose any leader who promoted a philosophy of non-violence or non-resistance). To do so, you will need to outline that leader's non-violent philosophy. On what points do these two different philosophies disagree? Are there any points on which they agree? Finally, which philosophy do you find more effective for governing a society? Can violence be completely eliminated from government? If not, how can it best be managed?