...How can one ensure that he will make a great leader? According to Niccolo Machiavelli, he must “read histories and in them study the deeds of great men” (41). This phrase comes from Machiavelli’s “Qualities of the Prince,” a section from the book “A World of Ideas.” Niccolo Machiavelli was a very critical writer who lived from the year 1469 to 1527. One of his most famous works, The Prince, is still highly controversial today. This is mainly due to its cynical nature and disputed methods for successful leadership (Jacobus, 38). While Machiavelli describes an intelligent approach to a position of authority, there is an exception to everything. I agree with Machiavelli’s theory that following another ruler’s advice will improve your own leadership skills. After all, children learn by example, so why can’t a manager do the same?...
Words: 481 - Pages: 2
...Securing one’s power also necessitates a certain level of fear. Rather than a certain level of love because the later can lead to consequences. To be loved and feared are both difficult to attain simultaneously for a leader. For Machiavelli, even though both would be ideal, “it is much safer to be hated than to be loved” (The Prince. XVII, 131). The reason for such affirmation is related to human nature. Having a good knowledge of man's true nature could help leaders act accordingly in advancing their goal even if the use of coercion might be needed. In why it is not the best for a leader to be loved, Machiavelli describe Men as being “ungrateful, fickle, simulator and greedy” (The Prince. XVII, 131) persons who only have their own interest...
Words: 291 - Pages: 2
...1. According to Machiavelli, the ideal prince should be ruthless and willing to avoid using standard ethics to maintain his power. He should do whatever is necessary to deal with any type of issues that are thrown in his path while ruling. A model prince should be dishonest, for example, telling people what they want to hear, but at the same time, it’s very important that he’s smart enough to make people believe that he is being honest. In the same way, he should be cautious while appearing to be benevolent, and even though he should be ruthless, he should also appear to be fair. Overall, the prince’s personality should mirror his actual acts. 2. I think all the modern leader follow a little bit of Machiavelli’s advice. For example, Obama,...
Words: 515 - Pages: 3
...Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher, writer, diplomat, historian and a Politician, who lived during the ‘renaissance era’ in Italy. He had been born in Florence on May 3, 1469. He was the eldest son of his family. His family was rich and had owned large tracts of land in the rolling. But Machiavelli was not such rich man. He described himself as a “without gainful employment”(King, 2007, p3). To many, Machiavelli is seen as an ‘evil person’, who is widely known for his maxims of politics, where he believes that for one to be considered as a strong rule, he must possess the necessary guts and bravado to rule with an iron fist, and be harsh to his subjects (King, 2007). His philosophy on politics and how...
Words: 636 - Pages: 3
...order to get or achieve something.” this word stems from Niccolo Machiavelli. Niccolo Machiavelli was born in 1946 in a small town near Florence Italy. His family held importance in offices and some had great wealth. You will see that Niccolo Machiavelli enjoyed lectures, held great power, and was sly with his actions. Machiavelli is often described as a trickster; He was also referred to as the antichrist. Although Machiavelli’s family was very wealthy and held important offices in the Florence's government; Niccolo’s father Bernardo Machiavelli was not as fortunate. Mr. Bernardo was the poorest member of the Machiavelli family. Mr. Bernardo’s profession was a doctor of law, he...
Words: 630 - Pages: 3
...The Book of the Courtier and The Prince were books that explained how to be a Prince, a Courtier, or a well-rounded man. Castiglione and Machiavelli were Florentine and grew up in the same time but they ended up on different sides of the spectrum. They both wrote their books during the same time during the Renaissance. Both were well educated for their time and they were the beginning of the emergence of the middle class. Growing up both their families had money and freedom that allowed them to become educated and enabled them to achieve their own success. Machiavelli and Castiglione believed in your own arms, meaning they will do what they have to do with their military to stay strong as a country. Castiglione and Machiavelli had some similarities but most things were very different. Machiavelli and Castiglione believe that the Prince and Courtier should appear good but Machiavelli believed that doing evil to achieve goals was perfectly fine. Castiglione believed in human potential and the ability of a man to improve himself. Machiavelli believed that the end result is all that mattered and how you got there...
Words: 944 - Pages: 4
...In this paper, I will argue that Machiavelli is correct: a leader needs to be beast-like and must break their word when it suits their purpose. In support I will argue the following; a ruler must assume characteristics of both lion and fox to be an effective ruler, then I will argue he must be amoral with his decisions as a ruler, finally he must become an actor who is unpredictable so that he may break his word effectively. A ruler needs to assume characteristics of both lion and fox to be an effective ruler. According to Machiavelli, the characteristics of a lion demonstrate power and strength. This is politically useful when he is challenged. Unfortunately, being a lion is ineffective because without the ability to...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...Science: Machiavelli was a man of action who drew his beliefs and conclusions from real life behaviors rather than hypothetical scenarios. He went out and observed how and why certain people acted the way that they did. He was a humanistic empiricist; he collected observations on people on their own terms. People have the ability to be good willed in nature, but he is only good willed when it is in his self nature to do so. Because of this, most men become evil. Hobbes was a scholar and looked at politics through a scientific sense. He analysed politics through a scientific lense. He presented some of these ideas in de Corpore, where he talked about the philosophical method, mathematics, physics and human nature. He analyses politics on different levels. He reduced everything down to nature. This is called “resolutive-compositive”, and this means dividing it into parts and then composing...
Words: 653 - Pages: 3
...While Nicholas Machiavelli argues that fear gives a king more control, it is Thomas More who is more justified with his position that a king must prioritize the people over themselves, as they will be content with a benevolent ruler, prompting more stability. When discussing whether a powerless lower class is threatening to a king, More sarcastically questions “who quarrel more than beggars do? Who long for a change more earnestly than the dissatisfied?” (More). More utilizes rhetorical questions instead of blatantly stating the answers, because they denote an obvious solution to the question, forcing readers to adopt his train of thought. In this instance, he uses them to point out that even though a peasant class may look criminally defenseless in the face of royalty, their...
Words: 442 - Pages: 2
...Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) was a nobleman with an unstable fortune that ultimately learnt to support himself through his writing career. His most acclaimed work, “The Prince”, is a basic dissertation on the qualities a prince or a leader must have in order to retain his power and authority. Similarly, the “Tao-te Ching” is a philosophical document that is known to be written by Lao-tzu. The document provides a foundation for the religion of Taoism and speaks about good leadership and moral behavior. While Machiavelli believes in practical, dominant and severe methods, Lao-tzu approaches the theme of leadership with detachment, patience and equanimity. Therefore, as both Lao-tzu and Machiavelli seem to have two extremely contrasting philosophies...
Words: 373 - Pages: 2
...Historical and political thinkers have pondered the question, whether it is better for a leader to be feared or to be loved, for centuries. Two writers, ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu and Italian Renaissance writer Niccolo Machiavelli, have presented considerably different opinions on how a ruler should run his, or her, country. In the "Tao the Ching", Lao-Tzu believes it is better for a leader to be loved, however in Machiavelli's "The Qualities of the Prince", he believes it is better for a ruler to be feared, without being hated. While contemplating the question, whether it is better for a leader to be feared or to be loved, there are several bases of comparison to analyze when arriving at a conclusion. One of the bases of comparison...
Words: 307 - Pages: 2
...Political Science Niccolo Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli was born from a prominent family in Florence, Italy on May 3, 1469. He had received a typical education, learning Latin in his early life while he neither excelled in banking and trade. During Machiavelli’s early life, Florence was effectively controlled by the Medici family. The Medici’s were rich and powerful, they owned banks, which were the reason as to why Florence excelled in bank and trade areas. But the Medici family fell from power and was replaced by Girolamo Savonarola. On year 1502, Machiavelli was assigned as an envoy in Rome. He met Cesare Borgia, an infamous papal prince and despot in which it had been stated that the Pope may have influenced Machiavelli’s views on political philosophy. Sadly, Machiavelli witnessed the events leading up to Borgia’s murder. Florence was in conflict with the Pope and his Spanish allies, who sent armies to Florence to remove the Soderini government. In 1512, the Medici family returned to Florence, and the people soon demanded that they be put back in power. Soderini was exiled. Machiavelli, as a supporter of the Soderini government was removed from his office by the new regime, fined, and forbidden to be in any Florentine territory. After Machiavelli’s exile in Florence, he started writing his most famous work “The Prince”. “The Prince” is a detailed observations of his about human behavior, leadership, and foreign policy. Machiavelli described the qualities of a...
Words: 382 - Pages: 2
...“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” Quoted by General George Patton for a description of a strong leader similarly to Machiavelli’s definition of a leader. Niccoló Machiavelli was an Italian politician who wrote The prince. Making Machiavelli the father of modern political theory. Influenced the term “Machiavellian.” “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” (1.5.62) Quoted in Macbeth written by Shakespeare relevant to Machiavelli’s definition of leader. According to Machiavelli’s definition of a leader comparing Macbeth from Shakespeare's Macbeth a leader in the eyes of Machiavelli’s? “People have to be afraid of you.” However “he must endeavor only to avoid hatred.” (Machiavelli XXII) Macbeth’s personality is...
Words: 424 - Pages: 2
...In this manner, Machiavelli recommends that legislative issues and religion ought to be held in isolated circles religion, in God's circle governmental issues, in man's. Numerous perusers praise this subject as refreshingly reasonable; others assault Machiavelli's affirmations, saying that they bargain moral trustworthiness. However Machiavelli's ruler does not wish to save moral great or otherworldly respectability; he essentially needs to accomplish and keep up his territory. Machiavelli battles to clear a street for request in this world, in the without a moment's hesitation; he doesn't endeavor to secure the supernatural favors of God. This thought, obviously, remains in sharp difference to the ethical goodness advanced by most Greek, Roman, and Hebrew government officials and essayists. These scholars saw no unmistakable refinement amongst religion and governmental issues, rather observing the ruler as the human epitome of God. Consequently, Machiavelli gives a general diagram of human conduct, trusting that future sovereigns can build up peace and security in their kingdoms, utilizing this essential...
Words: 411 - Pages: 2
...Machiavelli’s The Prince and God’s Word both give advice on how to rule. Two main similarities between the two manuscripts are that a leader must be kind and that he should not abuse his power. In Machiavelli’s time, Italy was not a united country but was divided into multiple city-states. Attempting to help Italian rulers, he wrote his magnum opus The Prince. Machiavelli wrote that a leader needed to have a balance between clemency, or kindness, and cruelty. He knew that a ruler needed to be kind to earn the respect and love of his people, but not kind to the extent of becoming weak. He also knew that cruelty brought a respectful fear and obedience. Machiavelli’s ideal ruler should strive to be merciful and kind, Machiavelli taught...
Words: 271 - Pages: 2
