Machiavellian Ideas: How Francisco Franco As An Effective Leader

Niccolo Machiavelli provided specific ideals for leaders to go by in order to be effective. Francisco Franco demonstrated these specific ideals with his ability to uphold such challenges. Francisco Franco was born December 4th 1892. In 1935 Franco became Chief of the Central General Staff of the Spanish Army. Franco focused rather on his work and not relationships with his people, using a rough way of ideas to keep things on track, he succeeds to perform a few Machiavellian ideals. That being the case, Francisco Franco achieved the following Machiavellian ideals as a leader, “It is better to be feared, than loved, if you cannot be both,” and “Never was anything achieved without danger”. Francisco Franco is an effective leader who provides

fear to the people and lets danger be a way to success. Although some may disagree with the fact Franco is an effective leader because he is feared, however, according to Machiavelli, that's how a leader should guide. Given these points, Francisco Franco would be considered an effective leader based on Machiavelli’s principles of leadership.
Francisco Franco was a leader feared by many, loved by few. Franco possessed a personality that was “inflexible”, meaning he laid down the laws to his standard and did not change it for anybody else's opinions on the topic. Being this, it regards to one of Machiavellians ideals “It is better to be feared than loved, if you can not be both”. Franco did not hold deep political convictions, “but rose to power in order to preserve a traditional way of life that was threatened, in his view, by communism and its left wing sympathizers” (New World Encyclopedia contributors para. 2). Franco believed in having a way
of life that was threatened was a good way to learn. Many people disagree with this, however, in order to maintain a community according to Machiavelli, is to be feared by the citizens.
In addition, Francisco Franco was a director of the general military academy in 1928. The soldiers feared him, but in order for Franco to succeed, he must be feared. Franco was then rewarded with a promotion to chief of the general staff. This displays that Franco was an effective leader by demonstrating that he got placed in a position for doing his job the right way, and following Machiavelli's ideal “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both”.
Francisco Franco was a leader who went by the following machiavellian ideal, “Never was anything achieved without great danger”. During his time as a dictator, Franco was badly wounded. This action resulted in him being marked in the eyes of the native troops as good luck. Also, “Cold and systematic, he conquered territory inch by inch, placing it under military rule and creating a personal dictator” (Taborelli 103). By conquering other territory, that put him in danger because Franco could have been taking someone’s land and it could have resulted in a feud. His leadership style in this example shows Machiavellians ideal. Furthermore, Franco took welcomed foreign troops and equipment from Nazi Germany and fascist Italy to “crush democracy while preserving French and British neutrality” (Taborelli 102). This displays how dangerous it was for him to do that, however, Franco took a risk. This is relating back to Machiavelli's ideal “Never was anything achieved without great danger”.
Moreover, Franco was a commander who was capable to make several noticeable improvements to the field of modern warfare. Franco speaking to the general military academy of Saragassa states, “You must sacrifice every thought, every ideology for the god of the nation and for the serenity of our fatherland”. Bringing this statement back to Machiavelli's ideal “Never was anything achieved without great danger”, Franco is saying sacrificing your life is okay for rights, or owned property.
To wrap things up, Machiavellian saw Francisco Franco as a leader who demonstrates his aspects of effective leadership skills.

Francisco Franco is an effective leader according to Machiavelli because he is feared more than loved. He was a leader feared by many, loved by few. Franco clutched many different personalities, one being “inflexible”. This meant he was unwilling to change for anyone, and wanted things to go his way. Franco did not hold deep political convictions, “but rose to power in order to preserve a traditional way of life that was threatened, in his view” (New World Encyclopedia contributors para. 2). The reason why Franco wanted a life that was threatened, is so that he could overcome obstacles, in his logic, with fear. Previously mentioned, this goes back to Machiavelli's ideal, “It is better to be feared than loved, if you can not be both”. Franco also followed that nothing was accomplished without risky business. During his time serving as a dictator,he was unfortunately wounded. This dangerous action led him in him being marked in the eyes of the native troops as good luck. Franco speaking to the general military academy of Saragassa states, “You must sacrifice every thought, every ideology for the god of the nation and for the serenity of our fatherland”. Franco is stating that sacrificing an object, or even one's life, is tolerable. Ultimately, according to Machiavelli, Francisco Franco is an effective leader based off of Machiavelli's

ideals.