The Portable Machiavelli ( Edited and Translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa) - Essay Example

This paper will analyze the qualities of successful leaders in maintaining a healthy state as argued by Machiavelli. To found and to maintain a healthy republic, according to Machiavelli, the founder utilizes the virtu-fortuna dynamic, and the people engage in healthy conflict and renewal processes. The word virtu means acceptable morals in the society. However, Machiavelli uses the word to refer to the personal characteristics that a ruler must have in order to lead a state successfully. Machiavelli argues that princes’ need to possess certain virtues in order for them to remain in power and make great achievements.

The virtues include the ability to vary change from a democrat to a dictator according to the circumstances that they face generosity, courage, and faithfulness (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 38). Efficient leaders should be generous to the public so that they can be loved and accepted. The generosity should be in the form of offering public goods for low prices and redistributing wealth. The redistribution of wealth ensures that the income gap between the rich and the poor is minimal meaning that at least everyone in the society is satisfied.

The satisfaction that people derive from the income and wealth equality enables them to love the leader who makes this possible (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 41). Machiavelli argues that generosity will guarantee love and support from the public, and this will help leaders to issue authority and remain in power. Since the main objective of a prince is to remain in power according to Machiavelli, he argues that those in power should have the courage to face every situation that comes their way.

Courageous leaders are able to defend themselves and their states from the war with other states. Therefore, Machiavelli argues that an efficient leader should have mastered the art of war and always be ready for it because it takes place without plans (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 40). The preparation that the author describes is in the form of possessing the essential fighting tools and training the military. The author argues that a leader can employ war in situations that call for it as long as it helps them to maintain their power.

Since war is unacceptable in most societies, it means that Machiavelli advocates for leaders who have the ability to outdo the societal expectations. An example of a leader who possesses this characteristic is Obama; he demonstrated this quality when he ordered his military to find and kill Osama Bin Laden, who was the most wanted criminal. Thus, it means that this quality is applicable in the real world despite the fact that it is offensive. The ability of a leader to take part in war and be generous at the same time demonstrates that leaders should be capable of changing from good to bad people depending on the circumstances at hand.

Machiavelli recommends this character because according to him, a leader should be lovable and fearful at the same time (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 42). The lovable character helps leaders to gain support from the public because it is the citizens who bring them into power. The fearfulness quality, on the other hand, helps a leader to be different from the common citizens. This difference enables citizens to respect and regard