Vladimir Putin - A Modern Machiavellian Prince

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In 1513, an Italian politician by the name of Niccolo Machiavelli distributed, though privately, a political treatise called The Prince. This treatise was, essentially, a guide on how to effectively rule one's country. It's important beforehand to define exactly what a Machiavellian is, before describing one. A Machiavellian is a leader who, through his power and influence, works toward the common good of his people. This can be done through fear, through deceit, even through manipulation. It is important to understand the main principle of a Machiavellian; the end justifies the means. The end being the common good of his people. Vladimir Putin is a Machiavellian in the ways he retains power, institutes reform, and executes economic recovery domestically; and also in the ways he manages international affairs, such as the issues with Syria, Snowden, and the 2014 Winter Olympics.
It is important to capture one's past. One with wealth and influence is bound to be brought up differently in accordance with their background. But to grow up without these things, would it be grounds to assume that once they have this power, that they be more inclined to keep it? With humble beginnings, as Vladimir himself put it in his autobiography, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born October 7th, 1952, within St. Petersburg, Russia. Raised by his mother Maria, who was a factory worker, and his father Vladimir, who was a conscript. Putin was dead set on joining the KGB, the Committee for State Security. In his autobiography he says he was “a pure and utterly successful product of Soviet patriotic education.” But he also says that most of this “notion of the KGB came from romantic spy stories” In short, he never knew what he was getting into. To follow...

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... Russia over the EU? ( Video)." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. .

Rutland, Peter Rutland. "Snowden Tests Putin's Machiavellianism." The Moscow Times. The Moscow Times, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. .

Bradley, William. "Putin Schools Obama: From Russia With Love." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. .

Koba, Mark. "Olympics: Going for the Gold, Spending in the Red." Sports Business. CNBC. CNBC, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. .

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