My Stance on Machiavelli's Theory of Political Leadership

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian born political philosopher, most well-known for having written The Prince. His book The Prince deals with the place of morality in leadership and the most important qualities to have in a leader. Many find his views to be overly pessimistic and even evil; however, I believe that although I don’t think a more Utopian society is impossible, that a history of fascist regimes since him, proves that he had some viable points.

The Prince is a short treatise on how to acquire power, create a state, and keep it. It can be summed up in a few guiding principles. First, as a leader, it is better to be feared than loved, and there is nothing worse than to be hated. Next, Machiavelli argues that you must be both a lion and a fox. By this, he uses the lion to symbolize the qualities of strength, respect, and willing to use physical force when necessary. The fox is used to symbolize cunning, cleverness, and diplomacy. He argues that a ruler must be both a fox and a lion “in order to recognize traps” and “frighten off wolves.” Lastly, Machiavelli believed that it is important for leaders to possess a great deal of knowledge. He stresses the importance of reading history, studying war, knowing your own land, and avoiding anyone that flatters- because they cannot be trusted.

I believe that Machiavelli’s views on political leadership are pessimistic and do not give the people much credit. I think that his level of dictatorial control and manipulation would only be necessary in a completely uncivilized nation. I feel similarly about his use of force and military dependence, and believe that a more civilized state would look more like a democracy and would value the wit of leaders more than anything else; however, I don’t believe that this is commonplace in most societies and that the leadership qualities and tricks laid out by Macchiavelli have been employed by numerous successful leaders throughout history. Some examples of these include: dictators like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin-who relied primarily on fear and military force to obtain and maintain power. There is no doubt that Niccolò Machiavelli’s societal views are egregious and can be hard to swallow; however, sometimes the truth hurts.