Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed
to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. Because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the paragraph? A prince can hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom only by first ruining it, then moving there and establishing an oligarchy that is loyal to him. There are three ways for a prince to hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom: ruin it, live there, or create an oligarchy that is loyal to him—and the third way is easiest. A prince can hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom only by first ruining it, then moving there and winning the citizens’ loyalty by granting them freedom. There are three ways for a prince to hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom: ruin it, live there, or create an oligarchy that is loyal to him, all of which are equally effective.
Answer: B) There are three ways for a prince to hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom: ruin it, live there, or create an oligarchy that is loyal to him—and the third way is easiest.
Explanation: In the given paragraph from chapter 5 of "The Prince" we can see the description of the three courses that a Prince can follow if he wants to hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom: "the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you" he also emphasizes that the third way is the easiest because it will hold by the means of its own citizens.
There are three ways for a prince to hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom: ruin it, live there, or create an oligarchy that is loyal to him—and the third way is easiest.
In the excerpt from "the Prince," the author Niccolo Machiavelli makes reference to the three possible ways of holding a new acquired state that is used to living in freedom and having their own laws. The first option is to destroy them, the second is to settle there, and the third is to create an oligarchy that charges taxes but that keeps the state peaceful. Machiavelli suggests the third option is he easiest because it makes use of the state's own citizens and the new oligarchy must owe its endurance to the prince.
