Niccolo Machiavelli- Political Thought

Niccolo Machiavelli is regarded as perhaps one of the most influential and famous political philosophers from the west. He has also been referred to as the “father of modern political theory”. Machiavelli’s work focused on the establishment of an operational state. He aimed at focusing on the brutal political realities rather than conceived ideals. An overview of his work allows one to establish that he placed state above the religious ideal of an individual. For Machiavelli, the State and the power/ability to rule it held the most important place for any ruler. He believed that power was the ultimate goal and, thus, princes should do whatever they can in order to achieve it. Machiavelli’s work was often viewed as a handbook of sorts for “atheistic tyranny”. To him, “being a good Christian was incompatible with being a good leader”. It was due to such perspectives that his work was banned by the church for around 200 years.

Machiavelli grew up in the city of Florence in the late 15th century. The city was subjected to high levels of political instability at that time. This is why he bore witness to the rise and fall of several governments which allowed him to gather a comprehensive account of how rulers are supposed to act in order to run their state. His work essentially focuses on how a ruler can acquire and maintain power. The reason why Machiavelli’s work differs from those belonging to the same time period who wrote guidebooks for rulers is that Machiavelli understood that a ruler cannot be both virtuous and effective. He does not describe an ideal government nor an ideal leader who fully follows the religious codes of life. Rather, he takes a realistic and pragmatic approach towards how a ruler can be effective. Machiavelli also established that ethics and Christianity do not play much of a role when it comes to effectively ruling a state.

According to him, it was integral for a ruler to defend, enrich and honor the state. Being just and virtuous was not always possible as one cannot be a good politician and a good person at the same time. He famously stated “ends justify the means” which allows one to understand that according to him the most important goal of any prince is to defend their state from unwanted threats, be it external or internal. Machiavelli understood the importance of a good reputation for a king but also stated that knowing how to manage people took priority. For him, a good ruler is one who is not too soft and easy to disobey, nor is he someone who is unnecessarily cruel. A good ruler is someone who is reasonable along with being someone who understands how to look at the world as it is and not the way it should be.

Machiavelli realized that it was practically impossible for one to be good and virtuous at all times. Thus, he stated that rulers must utilize a bit of terror in order to keep their subjects in check. He also declared that “it is better to be feared than to be loved”. For him the character of politician must comprise of:

• Wisdom
• Bravery
• Strategy
• Strength
• Ruthlessness

It is with the presence of these values that a ruler would be able to maintain his power and order in the state. He also introduced the idea of “criminal virtue” which states that it is necessary for one to be cruel in the name of the state. However, these acts of cruelty should not be carried out in broad daylight, nor should they become frequent occurrences.

To further establish his point that “being good is a weakness” when it comes to rulers, he referred to the example of Friar Savonorola who wished to turn Florence into a Christian estate and rid it of all immoralities. The Friar was able to rule for a few months but his morality posed a threat to the corrupt Pope of that time. He was subsequently tortured and then hung in the middle of the city.

In conclusion, Machiavelli understood that wishing a ruler be just and kind was both impractical and bad for the state. He emphasized on the importance of terror and presence of slight ruthlessness in the character of a ruler in order to effectively run the state.