...Machiavellianism is "the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct".[1] The word comes from the Italian Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote Il Principe (The Prince), among other works. In modern psychology, Machiavellianism is one of the dark triad personalities, characterized by a duplicitous interpersonal style, a cynical disregard for morality and a focus on self-interest and personal gain. Political thought In the 16th century, immediately following the publication of The Prince, Machiavellianism was seen as a foreign plague infecting northern European politics, originating in Italy, and having first infected France. It was in this context that the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572 in Paris came to be seen as a product of Machiavellianism, a view greatly influenced by the Huguenot Innocent Gentillet, who published his Discours contre Machievel in 1576, which was printed in ten editions in three languages over the next four years.[3] Gentillet held, quite wrongly according to Sydney Anglo, that Machiavelli's "books [were] held most dear and precious by our Italian and Italionized [sic] courtiers" in France (in the words of his first English translation), and so (in Anglo's paraphrase) "at the root of France's present degradation, which has culminated not only in the St Bartholemew massacre but the glee of its perverted admirers".[4] In fact there is little trace of Machiavelli in French writings before the...
Words: 472 - Pages: 2
...Understanding Machiavellianism and Narcissism Roshan Priyadarshi (B14103) Vishwajeet Goel (B14121) Madhur Maheshwari Tanveer Ali (B14118) Ankur Gupta Section B Abstract This paper tries to explore the concept of Narcissism and Machiavellianism and the effect of these on a person’s personality as a whole. Narcissism, personality trait of egoism, conceit, or simple selfishness and Machiavellianism, employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct, if in excess seem to have a negative effect on a person’s behaviour. The characteristics of the person indulging in these traits are analysed through this research and also the effects of their presence in excess to . Machiavellianism and narcissism can be called to be some of the most important and governing constituents of one’s personality and thus governs the behaviour of people at their workplace or in their decision making to a great extent. Consequences of very high or very low Machiavellianism and narcissism can be grave and therefore effects of both these conditions are evaluated. Also methodologies to determine the level of Narcissism and Machiavellianism in an individual are discussed through this paper. Hopefully this research will provide insights to the positive and negative effects of Narcissism and Machiavellianism and assist the reader in avoiding or minimising the negative effects of these. Narcissism The term was coined by Freud after Narcissus who in Greek myth was a pathologically...
Words: 2460 - Pages: 10
...The Morals of the Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli The first great political philosopher of the Renaissance, Niccolo Machiavelli was born in 1469 in Florence, Italy. He was a politician whose fortunes mirrored those of the republic that was founded in the absence of the ruling Medicis and ended upon their return to power in Florence. The Prince, written in 1513 but not published until 1531, is the work that earned Machiavelli his lasting reputation and is a seminal text of political philosophy still widely regarded—and read—today. It is a study of leadership and an argument that leaders must do anything necessary to hold on to power. It is this message that turned Machiavelli's name into an adjective. As you read the following excerpt from The Prince, observe the different qualities of Machiavelli's ideal prince and compare it to those qualities we refer to when we call something or someone "Machiavellian." ON THE REASONS WHY MEN ARE PRAISED OR BLAMED —ESPECIALLY PRINCES It remains now to be seen what style and principles a prince ought to adopt in dealing with his subjects and friends. I know the subject has been treated frequently before, and I'm afraid people will think me rash for trying to do so again, especially since I intend to differ in this discussion from what others have said. But since I intend to write something useful to an understanding reader, it seemed better to go after the real truth of the matter than to repeat what people have imagined. A great many men have...
Words: 3772 - Pages: 16
...NT1 The Prince: Machiavelli’s Methodology on Leadership Niccolo Machiavelli, the first modern thinker, dedicated The Prince to Lorenzo De Medici and the De Medici family as a “how to guide” on becoming a successful ruler and more importantly, how not to be a successful ruler. As in any philosopher’s works, there are many components that are comprised into one common theme. Machiavelli presents a strong methodology and main concept which is to act in your own self-interest if you want to become a leader, and to do so by any means necessary. In The Price, one of his most famous works, Machiavelli establishes his leadership guidelines on specific categories such as virtue, goodwill, hatred, and reputation, just to name a few. Machiavelli’s goal in The Prince is to distinguish why human nature is the leading cause of a princes’ ultimate success or failure. Machiavelli strongly feels that the idea of politics is not a natural, innate part of humankind. It is crucial for a prince to reflect on the actions of great men that came before him and the history surrounding them. Within the text, Machiavelli does not focus on unity nor does he focus on the virtuous soul. He strictly concentrates on consequences because they are facts which we can verify. Due to this belief, Machiavelli’s ideas represent the consequentialist approach to morality. Meaning, consequences are driven purely by an individual’s actions. Therefore, the means by which individuals go about taking those actions...
Words: 1811 - Pages: 8
...Daniel Kelman Eng 101 03/25/14 Paper 2 Option 1 Laochiavelli The core difference between these two writers is realism versus idealism. Machiavelli writes from a point of personal experience and knowledge of history, while Lao-tzu writes from a, seemingly, philosophical point. It isn't actually known who Lao-tzu really was, so he may actually be writing from personal experience as well, but in a much more idealistic fashion. Machiavelli makes far more sense in a practical way most likely because of the capitalist world of backstabbing and douchebaggery we live in. Anyone with great ambition is automatically unable to understand the fundamentals of Taoism, and our society teaches ambition from a young age. This forces Lao-tzu's writings into idealism, even if it was not meant as such. Even though they share some similar ideas, Machiavelli deals with the practical reality of being a prince, while Lao-tzu writes about being a master governing an idealistic nation. While they are not opposites, they do not mesh well with one another. There are two large differences in these writer's philosophies. First, Machiavelli's government is entirely focused on preserving itself. Wartime and political intrigue are the only things that matter to the prince's leadership. Keeping that leadership is the only thing that should matter to the prince. Conversely, the master doesn't lead at all. The people don't follow him, they follow the example he sets. When Lao-tzu's "[m]aster governs,...
Words: 1236 - Pages: 5
...Kristine Mae S. Yaun BS Management II October 21,2014 Social Studies 2 I. Review of Machiavelli’s Political Theory Niccolo Machiavelli is often called as “ father of Modernity “ because of his intention to ground politics in an account of human nature. He is different from the other philosophers that we had tackled in the past. His views on effective leadership is by force which might be disturbing to others. He has been viewed as evil throughout the centuries , but as most business leaders and politicians agree Machiavelli has only defined the physics of power (“Great Book” t.v) The Prince is an extremely practical book because it does not tell about the ideal leader for an ideal society but it explains the readers what actions and qualities have enabled the prince to best rule a certain principality no matter what the circumstances are. He recommends the characteristics of a prince that he must posses is that it is better to be stingy than generous .Many people might disagree with this because a leader is expected by many to be helpful to everyone , the one who is approachable and the one who is not feared but loved. But in Machiavellian’s view he states that “it is better to be feared than to be loved because according to him love is something that is deceitful and inconsistent” because feelings change .. Being feared on the other hand is consistent and person who is intended to follow the rules of the land will not only be expected to be obliged to follow...
Words: 1591 - Pages: 7
...Machiavelli’sThe Prince Niccolo Machiavelli lived in Florence, Italy in the 1400’s. The country of Italy was divided into city-states that had their own leaders, so it was a time where great leaders were needed in order to help the development of a city-state and country. Machiavelli had a theory that man needed a leader to control them. In his book The Prince, he speaks of the perfect leader, where he basically gives the reader a how-to guide to become a successful leader. However, to understand Machiavelli’s ideas, we need to know about his beliefs and background. When asking Machiavelli weather he believed man was born good or evil, he would say that man was naturally an evil being, one that needed control. Machiavelli seems to have the idea of preparing for the worst and thinking in terms of the worst. Only a person who thinks that man is evil would think of such ways to run a government in the way that Machiavelli thought a government should be run. Machiavelli illustrates several key points, that are necessary to take to become a "successful" ruler. He explains his ideas on taking over a "free" state or republic and how to conquer and rule with the peoples loyalty and respect. In chapter six, Machiavelli gives us some insight on what he feels leadership is. A leader who really wants to achieve glory, does so by his own means and talent. Chapter seven explains that a leader should not try to buy his subjects. If a prince buys his subjects they will only temporarily...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...The first word that came into mind when reading The Prince for the first time was: pragmatic. Machiavelli drafted this book as a pragmatic guide to princes, unlike many of his contemporaries who else focused on telling princes to be nice, courteous, and good to the eyes of their people and God. What interested me the most was researching the book online after reading the first few chapters; what came up were multiple articles on how, at the time of its initial publication, the book gained a notoriety as being a guide on cruelty and manipulative intent. The Prince, being such an influential work by Machiavelli it’s considered his defining piece that brought forth the foundations of the label, “Machiavellian,” with it being associated to evil deeds and the immoral use of power as a means of political gain. Yet after all this research, evil was never a word that came to mind when I read the book. Pragmatic, that’s what it plainly is. What The Prince states is outside of morality, outside of being good or bad. Morality is put aside, it’s an ideal that has little effect to Machiavelli’s point. The main point is practicality, what princes must do in specific situations to maintain their power; and this practicality may come off as extreme or devoid of good morals, but when it comes to princedoms a prince’s main goal is to stay a prince, and The Prince provides a realistic, practical, pragmatic guide to do as such. Below are the five lines that I have chosen and how they reflect what...
Words: 1262 - Pages: 6
...“Those who strive to obtain the good graces of a [teacher] are accustomed to come before [one] with such things as they hold precious, or in which they see [her] take most delight… Desiring therefore to present myself to your Magnificence with some testimony of my devotion [towards this class], I have not found among my possessions anything which I hold more dear than, or value so much as [my grade]… ” (Machiavelli 3). The Machiavellian Code of Conduct is based upon The Prince, a controversial non-fiction written by Machiavelli in a desperate attempt to find a place of security within a new principality. To find this security, Machiavelli presents a plethora of crucial rules to the prince, leading the prince to believe that he is in need of Machiavelli’s assistance For Machiavelli, timing is everything. If he in any way offends the prince by getting personal too quickly, everything is over, and Machiavelli’s only chance to be secure is lost. Knowing this, Machiavelli decides to begin his Code of Conduct by luring in the prince with power. How to achieve, keep, and use power. This gives the prince his own sense of security and accomplishment, but to convey this successfully, Machiavelli uses meiosis. Meiosis is a rhetorical term defined as “the understatement of size or importance for rhetorical effect”. This is seen in many occasions as Machiavelli tries to show the prince that there is nothing that he can't conquer. Machiavelli is there to tell the prince that his power is so...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...The Dark Triad is a trio of variable personality traits: psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism (Paulhus, 2002). Psychopathy being defined as dishonest, manipulative, impulsive and with a lack of empathy, narcissism as having an over-inflated sense of self and lastly, Machiavellianism being characterized by deceitful and manipulative in a cunning sense as opposed to the antisocial traits of psychopathy (Barlett, 2015). The emergence of the Dark Triad in adolescence and young adults often comes with the major changes in life primarily the transition towards social and financial independence (Barlett, 2015). These traits often affect young adults in their decision making and the way in which they react to various life and relationship events,...
Words: 1092 - Pages: 5
...An example of an item from the Machiavellianism sub-scale of the SD3 is “It’s wise to keep track of information that you can use against people later.” Drawn from the writings of Machiavelli (The Prince and The Discourses), Machiavellianism has been described as a generally insensitive strategy for dealing with other people, especially with respect to those who are viewed as manipulable in social situations (LeUnes 2008). Machiavellianism is the only sub-scale of the SD3 that has an environmental or social factor to it (Furnham, Richards and Paulhus 2013). Underlying personality elements that are common to all three sub-scales of the SD3 include a lack of agreeableness, honesty, humility, and empathy, and a tendency toward interpersonal antagonism (Furnham, Richards and Paulhus 2013). An example of an item from the narcissism sub-scale of the SD3 is “I insist on getting the respect I deserve.” While Machiavellianism is mostly an other-oriented personality trait, narcissism is very much a self-centered trait. Rising from renditions of the Greek myth of Narcissus, the young man so obsessed with his own beauty that he lost the will to live, narcissism is recognized by the DSM-V as a true psychological disorder....
Words: 1075 - Pages: 5
...Lorenzo's Machiavellian Character What is Machiavellianism? It is a type of character who has an evil and deceitful character. This character is ready to do anything possible moral or immoral in order to get to power, or to fulfill his wishes. Who is using clever ways of scheming to deceive and manipulate others around him. Of course this process is without the realization of those who have been manipulated. Therefore, Machiavellianism is considered to be an amoral principle which is why "The end justifies the means." According to Machiavellianism it is alright to take advantage of the others in order to get what you want. Machiavellianism is one of the important themes in tragedy plays as major themes. Therefore, "The Spanish Tragedy" which is the first revenge tragedy in English literature, written by Thomas Kyd during the Elizabethan age. In this play a Machiavellian villain plays an important role in making troubles and taking advantage of the others throughout the drama. Lorenzo is the Cyprian Duke's son and the nephew of King of Spain. Lorenzo is a fine image of a Machiavellian reprobate and manipulative person. He uses his language cunningly. Simply, Lorenzo makes the use of his verbal slyness to lead the individuals around him to disgrace, because of their weak points and absence of knowledge. Therefore, he is an inhumane, eager, and misleading man; who tries to advance a marriage between his sister Bellimperia and the Portuguese ruler Balthazar. Spain and Portugal...
Words: 694 - Pages: 3
...Servant Leadership Comparison Paper Natalie Duel-Gonzalez Indiana Wesleyan University References Advanced Micro Devices, inc.(2010)Annual Report. Retrieved from http://www.amd.com/us/aboutamd/corporate- responsibility/Pages/information.aspx Robbins, S.P. & Coulture, M. (2009). Management (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Russell, R. (2000). The role of values in servant leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22(2), 76-83 Russell, R.,& Stone, G.(2002). A Review of servant leadership attributes: developing a practical model. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 3(23). Doi:10.1108/01437730210424084 Servant Leadership is a theory for organizational leadership. This idea or concept was founded by Robert Greanleaf back in the 1970's. (Robbins & Coutire, 2000) Servant Leadership is different because it develops employees to bring out the best in them; these leaders facilitate personal growth amongst their employees. Their focus is to meet the needs of those they are working with. These leaders listen to their employees and find a solution to their needs and build a sense of community amongst everyone. “Greenleaf envisioned a servant leader as one who facilitates achievement of a shared vision via the personal development and empowerment of followers. This concept of servant leadership emphasized the interests, development, and empowerment of followers in order to achieve a shared...
Words: 528 - Pages: 3
...Different between knowledge and opinion according to plato –…According to Plato "Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance." ……It is amazing to me that some people can sense the scale of knowledge so easiliy and to them it is second nature. Yet there are others who may actually be a majority who insist on defending opinions with their last breath while remaining closed to this scale of knowledge………"Opinion is between the knowing of the true idea and the ignorance of the unreal"(Plato -Republic). ………Plato's perspective is beyond the senses, thus the question of 'can sense' is not applicable. Re Plato's Forms, the best one can do is to speculate them as pseudo-rational concepts via pure reason (not via the empirical senses)………In order to make sense and turn what is speculated to knowledge, i.e. as matter of facts, empirical sensual proofs are needed. One good example of this knowledge is a proven scientific hypothesis……….The idea of a soul that survives physical death is one that is speculated and has no empirical basis. According to Kant, they are transcendental illusions based on fallacious thinking, but nevertheless useful in some sense (psychological)…….2. Rousseau examine link between ‘force’ and ‘right’ –…….According to Rousseau, force cannot be the foundation for legitimate political authority. People obey those stronger than themselves out of necessity, not by choice. Thus, the right of the strongest cannot create the sense of a duty that is necessary to establishing...
Words: 1456 - Pages: 6
...Introduction Everything in life has a cause and effect; there are a limitless number of causes and effects that going into makes a person who they are how they decide to live their life. This fact is what makes ethics a fascinating thing to study because it goes to the core of we chose to live the way that we do and what is the causes that resulted in the effect of why we make the choices we make every day. I am going to look over what causes have affected me to make the choices I do, what style of philosophical approach this puts me in, and compare myself to someone else on the basis of ethical thinking. Philosophical Approaches The three philosophical approaches focused on in chapter two of the Trevino and Nelson text virtue ethics, consequentialism, deontological. If I were to rank these three philosophical approaches my order would be deontological, virtue ethics, and consequentialism. I would place the approaches in this order because first deontological focuses on doing the right thing and following my own set moral principles which I feel is the best way to make decision and most follows the way I view ethics. Next is virtue ethics, I chose this approach second because though it does not focus specifically on the action it still is based on being a “good” person and striving to do the right things when making decision even though the choices may end up with negative consequences. I would place consequentialism last because I feel that focusing more on the consequences...
Words: 2091 - Pages: 9
