In chapter 17 of The Prince, On cruelty and mercy, and whether it is better to be loved than to be feared or the opposite, Machiavelli continues his discussion on the virtues that the modern reader could not consider as virtues. He considers mercy and cruelty as generosity and non-generosity. Machiavelli's dark view of human nature is presented in this chapter - a warning against those who tell you they love you in good times but abandon you in bad times. He explains that a prince should rather be feared than loved, if he fails to be both loved and feared, but never hated. The type of text is like a guide that he writes to tell the reader how to become a better prince. The aim of this chapter is to convince the reader in a way that shows him how there is no point in being merciful if in doing so the prince allows disorder in the state to spiral out of control. The reader is the person who wants to rule a principality according to Machiavelli's instructions. Machiavelli clearly explains the difference between the abuse of mercy and cruelty. “Every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel; nevertheless, he must be careful not to abuse this mercy. This implies that there is a fine line between what is considered cruel and “the abuse of mercy” according to Machiavelli. He then gives the example of Cesare Borgia, considered cruel but who at the same time “put order in Romagna, unified it, restored peace and obedience” – he highlights the good things that cruelty brings, even if the modern reader does not parallel his points of view. A certain measure of cruelty is necessary to maintain order. Men will be afraid of being punished if the prince is feared, so they will maintain their respect for the pri...... middle of paper ...... "inhuman cruelty... has made him always respected and terrifying in the eyes of his soldiers", and it is also proof that being feared brings the prince respect and maintains his dignity. In conclusion, the idea of ​​fear prevailing over love in a prince. is supported by evidence and examples suggested by Machiavelli Furthermore, cruelty is a key to respect, and being feared is a key to loyalty and order, although compassion is an integral part of it since it can. also bring certain benefits Machiavelli boldly warned us that men should not be trusted and that a prince should always make his own rules based on human morality and not what others consider. will not always agree with Machiavelli's point of view because of the word "cruelty" because it has the effect of violence, harm, destruction and cold-bloodedness. Works Cited The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli