Machiavelli And Greed

Often referred to as the founder of modern political science, Niccolo Machiavelli is best known for his extremely controversial theories that redefined the Renaissance thinker and initiated the break from the rather barbaric structure of society. During the medieval times, citizens were constantly exposed to harsh and public brutality, believing to be ruled by the church and the will of god. No one dared rebel against the church in fear of complete excommunication, and those who deviated were often punished. Machiavelli's pieces proposed a society governed by structure to avoid chaos. More specifically, his work entitled The Prince, challenged an individual's beliefs and generated heavy conversation regarding their current state of government.

Machiavelli's overall political philosophy was to veer the public away from the barbaric and incredibly unfair ruling system. He challenged the methods of punishment, denying public execution and humiliation as an effective form of justice. Instead, he proposed the notion of a society governed by a Prince. Within the piece, Niccolo Machiavelli introduces human beings as weak and selfish in nature, concerned with their own personal gain above all else. In his perspective, humans are incredibly untrustworthy and deceitful, willing to betray those who stand in their way of dominance and riches. However, a man's cowardliness ensures undying loyalty to the prince in exchange for protection and security. His subjects will feel an obligation to confidently follow him, thus significantly lessening the opportunity for betrayal. Men are materialistic and value their possessions above all else. Machiavelli states that their ultimate greed only serves as an opportunity for the prince.

However, the prince himself must resist from the temptation of greed that power brings. If he becomes too self-obsessed, his subjects will no longer value and adore him. In terms of political power, the theorist believes a successful ruler to be sly and secretive while avoiding hatred and accepting criticisms. He outlines the dangers of liberality, stating that far too much kindness can only end in disaster. Instead, Machiavelli suggests the importance of a fierce and successful ruler to be feared rather than loved. A leader cannot allow a poor reputation to interfere with his judgement, instead he should embrace it and focus on the protection and security of his land and his people. He argues that *great things* have yet to be accomplished by a ruler who has let his compassion for his people cloud his judgement and deter him from taking risks. Through his perspective, a prince should not live virtuously, but instead live wanting to achieve the most practical benefit for his subjects. However, a prince must guard himself from being despised and hated. Machiavelli's beliefs served to bring

justice and order to a once chaotic empire, and hatred would only lead to rebellion. Instead, he should seek out the criticisms and suggestions of others to better himself and improve his strength. Machiavelli also suggested a prince to be half-man, half-beast. He must be able to discover weakness and strike fear into the hearts of his enemies. They must be gifted in the art of deception, but cautious in doing so. He must never lose sight of what is good, ensuring the continued love and support of his followers. In order to maintain power, a leader must consider all above points as well as the ability to change and alter himself according to the times. The prince must indeed take risks, but also consider the future consequences of his decisions.

Niccolo Machiavelli's theories are applicable to our modern democratic society when regarding leadership positions.

In order for an individual for be successful in the field they so choose, they must be confident and have a vision for what exactly they aim to achieve. Without proper organization and discipline, a position of authority has the ability to weaken and diminish faster than it was originally built. Time and effort is key to a successful leadership position in today's society. If an individual's dedication is not clearly evident, they will quickly become hated by everyone - a consequence in which Machiavelli advised against. Humans remain focused primarily on their own gain and require bribery in exchange for loyalty. Machiavelli's ideas are best known today to be the basis beliefs of leaders who rule under a

dictatorship.

Personally, my political beliefs vary slightly from Machiavelli's established vision of a perfect leader. SImilar to the theorist, I believe an effective leader must honour his word, live with integrity, and approach risks with caution and patience without demonstrating any clear vulnerability. However, I would argue that a successful leader can in fact show genuine compassion and kindness towards their followers without appearing weak. In today's society, a fair majority of the general public value the idea of equality and openness above all else. The harshness Machiavelli proposes may be effective in a sense of instilling fear, however I believe that a great leader should instead focus on justice. Individuals offer their loyalty and support to leaders they can trust, not those who utilize manipulation and lies to gain more power. Above all else, they must be well-educated on every decision they make, and prepared to fail.