Question

read the passage from chapter 17 of the prince. therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to remind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. which statement best summarizes the author’s claim? a cruel prince risks robberies and murders. a cruel prince may be better for his subjects in the long run. a cruel prince should not mind having murders and robberies. a cruel prince will always have subjects who work hard for him.

Explanation:

The passage argues that a prince who uses controlled cruelty to keep subjects united is ultimately more merciful than one who is overly lenient; excessive mercy leads to widespread harm (murders/robberies) affecting all, while targeted cruelty only harms individuals. This means a seemingly cruel prince benefits subjects long-term by avoiding large-scale disorder.

Answer:

A. A cruel prince may be better for his subjects in the long run.