In his later years, Tupac adopted
the alias of Makaveli, a name which is derived form Machiavelli, a 16th
century philosopher and poet. Tupac felt that he could relate to
Machiavelli in many ways, due to parallels in their lives, particularly
regarding enemies. Here is an article which details exactly who
Machiavelli was.
"Men
are always wicked at bottom unless they are made good by some
compulsion."
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Italian
political thinker and historical figure in the turning point from Middle
Ages to Modern World. Machiavelli stated in The Price, his famous
contribution to modern political though, the then revolutionary and
prophetic idea, that theological and moral imperatives have no place in
the political arena.
Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy. Little is known of his early
life, but he might have been involved in overthrowing the Savonarolist
government in 1498. He was appointed head of the new government's Second
Chancery, and secretary of an agency concerned with warfare and diplomacy
(1498-1512). During there years he travelled on several missions in Europe
for the Republic of Florence visiting Cesare Borgia (1502), Rome (1503,
1506), France (1504) and Germany (1507-08). Among his achievement was
helping to set up a standing army, which reconquered Pisa in 1509.
As a thinker Machiavelli belonged to an entire school of Florentine
intellectuals concerned with an examination of political and historical
problems. His important writing, however, were composed after 1512 when he
was accused of of conspiracy in 1513. Medici family had returned to power
and had ended a year before the Florentine Republic. Lorenzo de' Medici
fired Machiavelli, the Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Signoria.
He was suspected of plotting against the Medici, jailed and exiled to
Sant'Andrea in Percussina. Macciavelli found himself out of job after 14
years of patriotic service, and spent on a small estate most of his
remaining years produced his major writings.
In 1519 Machiavelli partly reconciled with the Medici and he was given
various duties, including writing a history of Florence. When the Medici
was deposed in 1527 Machiavelli hoped for a new government post. However,
now he was distrusted by the republican government for previous
association with the Medici.
Machiavelli died in Florence on June 21, 1527. His political writings
became more widely known in the second half of the 16th century. When
Considered dangerous, they were placed in 1564 on the Church Index of
officially banned books.
Machiavelli's best known works are DISCORSI SOPRA LA PRIMA DECA DI TITO
LIVIO (1531) and IL PRINCIPE (1532), whose the main theme is that all
means may be used in order to maintain authority, and that the worst acts
of the ruler are justified by the treachery of the government. Many of
Machiavelli's toughts, as "it is much more secure to be feared, than
to be loved" have lived centuries as slogans. Il Principe was
condemned by the pope, but its viewpoints gave rise to the well-known
adjective machiavellian, synonym for political maneuvers marked by
cunning, duplicity, or bad faith. Machiavelli draws upon examples from
both ancient and more recent history and also uses his own experiences.
What distinguishes Machiavelli's manual from other such works, is the
originality and practicality of his thinking. Neither the attempts to
interpret Machiavelli's ideas as first steps to democratic thoughs or
examples of evil reflect a balanced view of his writing.
The interest in Machiavelli has continued, although contemporary
scholarship may have its reservations about transforming his writings in a
prophecy or manual of modern politics.
For further reading: Machiavelli by J.H. Whitfield (1947);
Machiavelli and the Renaissance by Federico Chabod (1958); Machiavelli: A
Dissection by Sidney Anglo (1970); Machiavelli and the Nature of Political
Thought by Martin Fleischer (1972); Machiavelli by Quentin Skinner (1981);
Niccolo Machiavelli, compiled by Silvia Fiore (1990); The Discourses of
Niccolo Machiavelli (1991); Niccolo Machiavelli's the Price, ed. by Martin
Coyle (1995); Machiavelli's Three Romes by Vickie B. Sullivan (1996);
Machiavelli's Virtue by Harvey C. Mansfield (1996); Machiavelli, Leonardo,
and the Science of Power by Roger D. Masters (1996); Machiavelli, ed. by
John Dunn and Ian Harris (1997); Machiavelli and Us by Luis Althusser et
al (1999
