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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which prince does Machiavelli say must be generous?
(a) One who inherited his title.
(b) One just coming into power.
(c) One who is about to go to war.
(d) One who has excessive vices.

2. What does Machiavelli suggest is wrong with concepts of an ideal princedom or republic.
(a) More people have not considered the concepts.
(b) It can only be accomplished by a pure leader.
(c) It has no basis in reality.
(d) It is not useful as a mental exercise.

3. How does Machiavelli say a prince can make himself feared without making himself hated?
(a) By giving pardons to criminals.
(b) By hanging only unpopular criminals.
(c) By leaving people's property alone.
(d) By taking the women away.

4. Who does Machiavelli cite as an example of generosity that ended badly?
(a) Marc Anthony.
(b) Alexander the Great.
(c) Moses.
(d) Julius Caesar.

5. Why should a prince keep down factions in his princedom?
(a) People enjoy the debates and work production slows down.
(b) The weaker faction will side with an outside enemy, and the stronger will not be able to hold out.
(c) The prince must decide which faction is stronger and play up to them.
(d) Factions keep him tied up as a judge all the time.

6. What does the prince gain from rewarding his ministers well for jobs well done?
(a) He gets losts of gifts from those ministers who become wealthy.
(b) He gets a percentage of all those ministers make from taking bribes.
(c) He gets time to look around for new ministers who are not so dangerous.
(d) He gets their support without fear of their trying to overthrow him.

7. What causes the people to begin to support the new prince?
(a) Seeing they are well off.
(b) Getting surprise gifts from the prince.
(c) Having audiences with the prince.
(d) Seeing many changes in their daily lives.

8. In terms of receiving advice, what is the main thing a prince must remember and do to preserve power.
(a) Listen to everyone because someone will have the best idea.
(b) Listen to the right people but make up his own mind.
(c) Be ready to execute those who offer bad advice.
(d) Only pretend to listen to advice.

9. Why does Machiavelli insist that a prince recalled by the people after being conquered offers him no security?
(a) It does not depend upon the prince himself for success.
(b) It is probably only a stop-gap moment.
(c) It is noble and, therefore, weak.
(d) It is only a last ditch effort at establishing the dominion.

10. How does Machiavelli say a private citizen might make himself a prince?
(a) By becoming a puppet of an enemy military.
(b) By becoming proficient in war and rising in rank.
(c) By hiring his own mercenaries.
(d) By avoiding war and promoting peace.

11. What Biblical example does Machiavelli use to show that someone else's arms are useless?
(a) Caleb and Joshua.
(b) David and Goliath.
(c) Samson and Delilah.
(d) Egypt and Syria.

12. Which statement is true according to Machiavelli?
(a) It is better to be feared than loved.
(b) A prince should be quick to believe and quick to act.
(c) Men are more likely to break a promise made in fear.
(d) Men care more about offending those they love than those they fear.

13. Those who were viewed with suspicion at the beginning of a princedom usually become the most loyal subjects. Why?
(a) The prince will use them for unpopular tasks.
(b) They never did anything to cause distrust in the first place.
(c) The prince was a poor judge of character in the beginning.
(d) They work hard to gain the approval of the prince.

14. What is the best type of mind Machiavelli says is needed for a strong prince?
(a) One that can think for himself.
(b) One that can understand what other men think.
(c) One that has no opinions whatsoever.
(d) One that takes only a short time to make a decision

15. How will a prince often be judged by others?
(a) By the family he marries into.
(b) By the behavior of his ministers.
(c) By the number of sons he has.
(d) By the size of his palace.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Machiavelli argue against a prince being overly generous?

2. Why does Machiavelli say that the sultans of Turkey and Egypt had to listen more to the military than to the people?

3. What historical example does Machiavelli give to show how a military should be organized?

4. What does the wise prince do to maintain the loyalty of the people?

5. What, according to Machiavelli, is better than actually having all the good qualities of leadership?

(see the answer keys)

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