How does Machiavelli support his claim that rulers can be cruel if it benefits their subjects and is necessary for security? Machiavelli uses anecdotal evidence through historical examples to support his claim.
Machiavelli uses empirical evidence about politics and society to support his claim.
Machiavelli uses logical evidence through historical examples to support his claim.
Machiavelli uses empirical and logical evidence to support his claim.

Read the passage from chapter 8 of The Prince.

Agathocles, the Sicilian, became King of Syracuse not only from a private but from a low and abject position. This man, the son of a potter, through all the changes in his fortunes always led an infamous life.

Nevertheless, he accompanied his infamies with so much ability of mind and body that, having devoted himself to the military profession, he rose through its ranks to be Praetor of Syracuse.

Being established in that position, and having deliberately resolved to make himself prince and to seize by violence, without obligation to others, that which had been conceded to him by assent, he came to an understanding for this purpose with Amilcar, the Carthaginian, who, with his army, was fighting in Sicily.

One morning he assembled the people and the senate of Syracuse, as if he had to discuss with them things relating to the Republic, and at a given signal the soldiers killed all the senators and the richest of the people; these dead, he seized and held the princedom of that city without any civil commotion. . . .

How does Machiavelli support his claim that rulers can be cruel if it benefits their subjects and is necessary for security?

Machiavelli uses anecdotal evidence through historical examples to support his claim.

Machiavelli uses empirical evidence about politics and society to support his claim.

Machiavelli uses logical evidence through historical examples to support his claim.

Machiavelli uses empirical and logical evidence to support his claim.

Machiavelli uses logical evidence through historical examples to support his claim.

Explanation:

Machiavelli supports his claim that rulers can be cruel if it benefits their subjects and is necessary for security by using logical evidence through historical examples to support his claim.

Machiavelli made use of logic through historical examples to support his claim by the use of inference and premise to support his claim that rulers can be cruel if it benefits their subjects and is necessary for security.

He made use of Agathocles, King of Syracuse to make his point.

*Logic is the systematic study of valid rules of inference