The Prince: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

Unlike hereditary principalities, new principalities present considerable difficulties for rulers. Machiavelli discusses composite principalities, which are "not entirely new but a new appendage to an old state." In composite states disorders arise due to "one natural difficulty": when people revolt and welcome a new ruler in the hopes of improving their situation, they often belatedly realize "that they have made matters worse." This is because a wise prince "is always compelled to injure those who have made him the new ruler" in order to secure his control. Although a prince "needs the goodwill of the inhabitants" to enter a state, it becomes impossible to maintain the people's "friendship" following a conquest. Machiavelli illustrates this principle with the contemporary example of Louis XII's conquest and subsequent loss of Milan.

Machiavelli adds, "When lands that have rebelled are reconquered they are not lost so easily," because a ruler takes advantage of the revolt by harshly punishing offenders and strengthening his state. Returning to the example of Milan, Machiavelli explains that the occupying French easily lost their conquest to the deposed duke, Ludovico, when he waged an initial war of reconquest. However, when France lost Milan after a second campaign, the "whole world" had to oppose her and various foes conspired against her. France lost Milan on both occasions.

Composite principalities are more easily maintained when the conquering and conquered states share the same country or language. Machiavelli writes that people typically "live quietly" as long as their "old ways of life are undisturbed." To maintain his new acquisitions in this instance, a ruler need only destroy the family of the old prince and refrain from altering the people's laws and taxes. In this way, the conquering state will easily absorb the new possessions.

However, when states with differing languages, customs, and institutions are acquired, the ruler's task becomes more difficult. In this case, both fortune and prowess must aid the ruler. In these instances, Machiavelli advises rulers to either live in the conquered state or establish settlements there. By living in the new state, a ruler "can detect trouble at the start and deal with it immediately." Settlements have the advantage of "little or no personal expense" and displace only a small minority of native inhabitants. Machiavelli advises rulers to avoid garrisoning large armies in new states, since the expenses are greater and the troops provoke hatred.

Additionally, rulers in countries that differ from their own should endeavor to protect "smaller neighboring powers" and to weaken powerful ones. With this method, a ruler can protect himself against the threat of invasion. Machiavelli references the Romans, who grew their empire by conspiring with disgruntled natives in neighboring states. Machiavelli also cites the Romans' successful strategy in Greece, which entailed curbing the power of competing Greek states. Machiavelli praises the Romans for their "foresight," which allowed them to sense trouble well in advance and to remedy it before it became too widespread. Machiavelli compares political disorders to a "wasting disease," which at the start is "easy to cure but difficult to diagnose" and, if untreated, becomes "easy to diagnose but difficult to cure." The Romans never allowed problems "to go unchecked" to avoid a war, knowing that war "can only be postponed to the advantage" of opponents.

Machiavelli returns to his earlier discussion of Louis XII, analyzing the mistakes that he made during his Italian campaigns. Louis came into Italy at the behest of the Venetians, who wanted an ally in their campaign against Lombardy. When Louis conquered Lombardy, he suddenly found himself surrounded by many allies, having gained the friendship of the Genoese, the Florentines, and other small states. However, Louis made the fatal mistake of allying himself with the more powerful Pope Alexander, thereby alienating his smaller allies and weakening himself. Having made this first mistake, Louis was "forced to make others," eventually losing his foothold in Italy. Machiavelli demonstrates that Louis failed to follow the protocol for rulers of composite states. From this example he declares a general rule: "That whoever is responsible for another's becoming powerful ruins himself."