The Discourses Chapter Summary & Analysis - Book Three, The Examples of Rome's Great Men, Reform, Security, and the Elimination of Rivals, On Conspiracies, The Need of Adaptation to Environment Summary

Book Three, The Examples of Rome's Great Men, Reform, Security, and the Elimination of Rivals, On Conspiracies, The Need of Adaptation to Environment Summary and Analysis

Book Three analyzes the example of Rome's great men and derives from their experience insights into the nature of government and political life. Sections 1-5 address reform, security and the elimination of rivals. Institutions, religious or political, can only survive if they are regularly returned to their roots. All compounds can decay and must be renovated, which is helped by great men. Good leaders often pretend to be fools to preserve stability and peace. New liberties can only be protected by killing those hateful of the new regime. Exemplary action is also required. Princes of new regimes cannot be secure if those who the regime was taken from are still around. Hereditary kings often lose their thrones through violating ancient customs.

Section 6 assesses the nature of conspiracies and is composed of a number of themes embodies in paragraphs. Conspiracies are very dangerous and conspirators are often those with standing...
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