Primary Sources: An aid to comparing political views of the past

In Sources of the Western Tradition, by Marvin Perry, Joseph R. Peden, and Theodore H. Von Laue, many primary sources are provided, giving the ideas of historical figures with conflicting views. For instance, the sources from Niccolo Machiavelli and James I provide insights into their contrasting views on political authority. These selections give historians critical information on how political systems differed in the past according to the time and ruler of the state.

When reading the sources, the opposing views of Niccolo Machiavelli and James I become very obvious. Niccolo Machiavelli was a prince who believed, contrary to Medieval times, that there was no divine origin to kingship. He disagreed that kings should adhere to Christian moral teachings (Perry, Peden, and Von Laue 12). Instead he proposed the state resulted from pure human creation. He thought princes should ignore morality and use religion only to unite their subjects and foster obedience to law (Perry, Peden, ...