The Prince, Chapter 2 summary
Chapter 2 of 28 · 1 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 2, the narrator sets republics aside and argues that hereditary principalities are easier to preserve because subjects are accustomed to the ruling family. He uses the Duke of Ferrara as an example and explains how respect for inherited customs and fewer offenses against subjects help an established prince keep power.
What happens
- The narrator limits his discussion to governing and preserving principalities rather than republics.
- He argues that an hereditary prince can retain power through respect for ancestral customs and prudent responses to circumstances.
- Overwhelming force can remove such a prince, but trouble for the usurper gives him an opportunity to return.
- The Duke of Ferrara illustrates how established rule helps a prince resist attacks.
- Long-standing rule reduces reasons for resentment and allows motives for political change to fade.
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In this chapter
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What helps an hereditary prince of average ability maintain his state?
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