Throughout The Prince, Niccoló Machiavelli explores human nature in the context of governing and being governed. In the letter to Lorenzo de' Medici which prefaces the text, Machiavelli explains that he has studied extensively "the deeds of great men" and that he is well versed in "contemporary affairs and a continuing study of the ancient world" (Machiavelli 3). From these studies of history and the nature of the common man and princes, Machiavelli concluded that the surest way to preserve a city or territory is to raze it, and that men sooner forget the loss of their father. than the loss of their heritage. These two demands concern the seizure of wealth and resources; however, they contradict each other in the sense that destroying an entire city is equivalent to taking a person's wealth, something men do not soon forget. As a result, and although scattered and lacking resources, the refugees from the demolished city will become bitter towards the prince and seek revenge. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIn chapter seventeen, Machiavelli states “above all, a prince must abstain from the property of others; because men rather forget the death of their father than the loss of their heritage” (55). The reason is that a man whose father has been killed remembers his loss less often than one whose entire fortune has been taken away. For the poor man, every day that he lives in poverty is a bitter reminder of the wrong done to him by the prince. A man who has lost all his possessions is a dangerous opponent because he has nothing left to lose. What can you take away from someone who has already lost everything they have worked their whole life for. Given the context of The Prince, the people Machiavelli talks about most are probably the aristocracy and not the common man. These upper class men have had their wealth and land in their family for generations. It may seem that Machiavelli is exaggerating the brutal and self-centered nature of man by saying that men care more about money than their own flesh and blood, but the truth is that more blame can be placed on one leader who confiscates his property than from another. who executes individuals. For this reason, one who has lost his possessions will be more inclined to take revenge, because a greater number of problems can be blamed on the prince who stole his wealth. Similar to these ideas on asset seizure, chapter The fifth is about resource management. Once a city has been conquered, the best way to keep it secure, according to Machiavelli, is to devastate it. If the buildings are allowed to remain, they will be a constant reminder of the freedom the area's residents once enjoyed. Buildings become a symbol of the happiness and freedom of the past, especially in republics. The justification for the destruction of the city therefore lies in the nature of its inhabitants, because "when there is a rebellion, such a city justifies itself by invoking the name of freedom and its ancient institutions, never forgotten despite the passage time and benefits received from the new ruler” (Machiavelli 18). Machiavelli gives the historical examples of the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans attempted to rule Athens and Thebes through the existing oligarchic structure, but they ultimately lost the cities. The Romans, on the other hand, destroyed Capua, Carthage and Numantia after conquering them and therefore never lost possession. Although it is relatively obvious that these two claims are related in that they both deal with how the prince should manage the property, they are in reality..