Machiavellian Leadership The Prince - 1285 Words

Machiavellian Leadership: Are These Principles Morally Correct to Use Today? For centuries, the political principles brought forth through Nicolà ² Machiavelli in his writing, The Prince, have been quite controversial both on the political forefront and the mainstream of leadership training. Though most people do not know that they are fighting battles over the principles brought about in the writing of Machiavelli. The Prince was written in the years following Machiavelli’s time in the political scene, as secretary of the seigneur, during the republican regime. Since the time these principles were published, the public has gone through different periods of seeing these principles to be either very distasteful or very agreeable. The†¦show more content†¦Charles D. Tarlton, in a journal article of Philosophy, claims The Prince fully embodies a political sense of amorality. In a different sense, William Wittels writes that Machiavelli’s suggests a flexible moral nature as a foolproof way for the prince to ensure himself position himself above the people. Notwithstanding, John McCormick refers to Machiavelli’s perspective as both amoral and cynical. If all of this is true, how can Dr. Wilkinson so fervently agree with the Machiavellian way of leadership? While admitting that the ways in The Prince are negative, brutal, and even unethical, Dr. Wilkinson still believes there to be good teaching in Machiavelli’s ideologies. She outlines the benefits she views can be pulled from this reading as: the founding of loyalty and cooperation, the formation of an organization, and an outline of personal characteristics useful to an effectual administrator. In agreement with Wilkinson, Nathan Tarcov suggests that, in The Prince, Machiavelli advocates that the later benefits of the suggested negative actions to outweigh or even eradicate the earlier injuries. Novelist Thomas Block goes even further by claiming Machiavelli had a great influence, both directly and indirectly, to many different prominent and reputable Americans such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Block goes on to name other, less favorable, global leaders that have also considered Machiavelli an influence on the conduct of theirShow MoreRelatedThe Political Philosophy Of Niccolo Machiavelli And Socrates1444 Words   |  6 Pagestransition and war, the fragility of their politics, violence of their wars, and the leaders they lived under influenced the development of their differing ideologies about the governing of principalities. From Machiavelli’s experience, came, â€Å"The Prince,† a guidebook about the importance of self-preservation when leading a principality that was gifted to then- governor of Florence Lorenzo de’Medici. The primary ideas shared, rely on committing acts of evil if they are justified with reasoning. FromRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli Analysis936 Words   |  4 Pageswanted people to live lives as they ought to live them and for the state to be a reflection of that aim. The leader advocated by Machiavelli, The Prince, is far more authoritarian and holds entirely different values in comparison to Socrates. The Prince is an individual who maintains complete hegemony over his subjects through nearly any means. The Prince will lie, kill, torture, and manipulate in order to maintain power and a political status quo. Because of the Prince’s inherent nature to tend toRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli : A Political Philosopher1666 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates w as a moral philosopher whose goal was to search for truth and knowledge, Machiavelli was a political philosopher whose goal was to create a lasting society with a Prince that could hold power. Because of their clashing ideals, it is unlikely that Socrates would be supportive of a Machiavellian political system or Prince, though there are specific aspects of the society that Socrates would find appealing. One thing that both Socrates and Machiavelli would agree on is that people have limitationsRead MoreSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1534 Words   |  7 Pagesnot wish to live without his search for truth. Socrates would see a Machiavellian Prince as self-centered, and void of morals. A Machiavellian prince would not appreciate the way Socrates carried himself and would see him as a challenge to his authority. Socrates would not support a Machiavellian society because most likely he would not be free to philosophize as he wished to and would not approve of the methods used by the prince. The discussion that follows is of the ideals of Machiavelli and SocratesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Julius Caesar Essay1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe topic of leadership in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar has been discussed and argued ever since the play was written. The most prevalent discussion of leadership in the play revolves around Shakespeare’s tragic hero, Marcus B rutus, and the cause of his downfall. According to Shakespeare critic James Bundy, â€Å"Brutus... is a man whose affections sway more than his reason, in whom there is this tragic confederacy of passion and imagination against reason† (qtd. in Palmer 402). Ernest Shanzer, howeverRead MoreThe Prince Machiavelli Summary1016 Words   |  5 PagesIn his article Morality and Politics with Reference to Machaiavelli’s The Prince, Mohammed Seid Ali dissects Machiavelli’s The Prince by analyzing his tactics and applying them to real life situations, both historical and theoretical. Ali highlights the impact of The Prince, its realist ideals, and how they have affected the world’s most powerful institutions. While Ali agrees with many of the underlying principles of Machiavelli, he rebuts specific notions more than once. For example, Ali questionsRead MoreVladimir Putin and Machiavellis The Prince2685 Words   |  11 PagesVladimir Putin’s political le adership style and goals are remarkably similar to the principles outlined in Niccolà ² Machiavelli’s famous advisory book for rulers The Prince. Despite the fact that The Prince was first published in 1532 it is still relevant today, especially in analyzing the rule of Vladimir Putin in Russia. Putin’s leadership style and actions make him a modern day Machiavellian prince. Many of the actions and polices taken by Putin are distinctly Machiavellian in nature. Putin’s foreignRead MoreAnalysis Of The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli1314 Words   |  6 PagesMACHIAVELLI’S LIVED WORLD: SETTING CONTEXT Niccolà ² Machiavelli’s The Prince was written in a time of political and civil unrest in Italy. For decades the city-state of Florence suffered several political uprisings and the establishment of new governments. From tyrannical rule to the creation of a democratic republic, and finally the re-establishment of the Medici family, The Prince comes from Machiavelli’s lived experiences in these political regimes. Machiavelli blames the division of Italy intoRead MoreThe Ideas Of Machiavelli And Socrates1988 Words   |  8 Pageshave influenced the leadership styles and approaches of leaders around the world. From Stalin to the founding fathers of the United States, Machiavellian influenced motives and ideals can be seen throughout modern history. Socrates is often referred to as the founder of Western philosophy, and his teachings have been passed on to leaders over the centuries. This paper will state both the Machiavelli’s concept of a ‘Prince’, a nd present Socrates’ perspective on the ‘ideal’ prince. It will then evaluateRead MoreGeorge W. Bush s President Of Texas1685 Words   |  7 Pagesthe attacks, he declared a global â€Å"war on terrorism†, which resulted in the formation of the Department of Homeland Security and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Prince, a book written by Niccolo Machiavelli, was seen as a text about its coherent perspectives and noble concepts of Leadership. There is a term called â€Å"Machiavellian†. This term refers to â€Å"the belief that a ruler is justified in using any means necessary to stay in power†. Many people can point out many corrupt scandalous government