Virtues a Successful Ruler has According to Machiavelli - Essay Example

? Virtues a successful ruler has according to Machiavelli A ruler stands for the ultimate rule of any social setting with his power being revered by his subjects irrespective of their liking towards him or her. The leadership he confers to his people determines the length of his term in office or reign over time. The human race has always shown a tendency to elect a leader whenever they come together as one big social group. There are privileges that come with this position as a way of showing gratitude to the elected person. Since it is human nature to feel powerful and above others in his surrounding, people strive to achieve that status quo. The World Wars clearly illustrate the lengths that have been taken in a attempt to acquire power and fame. However, other social setting have been able to peaceful elect their leaders successful without any strife. A question is then raised on the different scenarios that lead to peace or war among the people. Philosophers went a step further to study the reasons behind the behavior of people leading them to act in a certain way and the mindset involved. Some of them focused on the politics of the people and especially their leaders who determined the political environment of their citizens. Machiavelli was one such individual who drew some conclusions on qualities that led to a successful ruler. We shall discuss his theories at a critical angle and justify his conclusions. Machiavelli was born at a time when the political situation of his time was filled with devious acts of tyranny and dictatorship. The leaders of his time including the Pope took over power by means of force and treachery without the slightest hint of apology to the people involved. The citizens took second place in their fight for supremacy and their welfare, including the prosperity of their countries was a dismissal subject. These events lead Machiavelli to look back at past leadership regimes and the impact of their rule on society. He gives an example of Cesare Borgia and states, ‘‘Cesare Borgia was accounted cruel; nevertheless, this cruelty of his reformed Romagna, brought it unity, and restored order and obedience….’’1. It is clear from the quote that the philosopher was only trying to be reasonable in his approach to the situation at hand. He justified the means to the ultimate end as was core understanding of politics. As a politician himself, Machiavelli decided to resign from public office and write guidelines on successful qualities of leaders as he saw fit at the time. He begins by outlining that a ruler must possess the qualities of virtu and Fortuna. By way of virtu, one is able to control the status of his leadership and assert himself among his people. This was not the traditional virtuous way of leading, but an unconventional stand in which one uses any means possible to establish their rule. Such means are at times violent and harmful to the people but they sometimes arrived at the desired results as was initially intended. Andrew in his book writes, ‘As such, when he talks about “virtue,” he tends to mean, not moral goodness or Christian piety, but skill required to keep control of one’s kingdom.’2 He goes ahead to explain that the functionality of the two factors go hand in hand with each other thus one has to be able to prepare for future outcomes by influencing their result. This involves adapting to the changes that may occur in the course of pursuit of power for the sake of being relevant. Those who are resistant to change could find themselves in ruin if caution is not taken. Such as the seasons of time change, so do our circumstances in life and we should be prepared to manage the results of those changes in society. In times of peace, one should build for themselves vessels of protection incase a turmoil develops. We cannot always rely on our luck to be in power but take an active role in ensuring our prolonged stay. The other notion of Machiavelli insists that leaders should separate their innate morality from their actions in public domains. Other than morals, the real issue is how you deliver people’s aspirations in the political setup. If one cannot make the mob happy, then it is pointless to air your good and valuable deeds since in the end the cause must be met. Your actions should be aimed at making a good name for yourself and therefore the demands of the people must be catered for even though one has to go against their virtues. I believe that this form of leadership, which can be selfish at first, can assert one as a leader who knows what they want in life and is capable of firmness in matters of a gruesome nature. This is seen in social groups that may seem weak to other groups but the rise of a fearless leader could raise their position in the eyes of their enemies. This is the situation that was seen in Roman leaders, who did not hesitate to take over what they thought could raise their social standing. In fact, he adds that it worthy to evoke fear since more is achieved when current fear becomes a motivating factor for submission of the subjects. An effective leader should have people to help him in his rule with a view to provide him with a third opinion. These advisors should be patriotic to their fellow citizens and not pursue their own interests as it could be detrimental to the structure of leadership in place. Machiavelli insists that they should be reliable and willing to tell the truth at each opportunity that they may be required to do so. Their knowledge of the politics of their time should be kept up to date for their good and that of their leader. A good ruler should be able to give them the benefit of doubt whenever he consults them on particular issues, but should also be able to intervene when the matter at hand requires his wisdom that may differ from those of his aides. These people should be rewarded whenever they are able to resolve crucial political matters that may have been difficult to others and especially the head of state. These rewards could be in the form of national awards recognizing their efforts, monetary benefits, honor titles or anything else that maybe deemed valuable in that society. This serves as a tool of keeping them accountable and drives them to go a step further in delegating their duties. Outside the political scene, a good leader should be able to show talent in other areas of life. This is important as he portrays his humane side to the public which can influence his standing with his subjects. Machiavelli on his part was an exceptional writer who influenced many prominent members of his society and the public at large. He was controversial as he questioned the norm of the people, offering a different thinking that was previously used. He was regarded as a symbol of good politics for those who took up his philosophies which went against the traditional beliefs of the 16th century. He became widely known as one of the greatest Renaissance philosophers of his time due to his creative writings. In my view, this aspect is important for a leader’s political reputation as it makes him more appealing to the masses rather than a stuck up ruler with no outside hobbies. Clinton for example, had a niche for handling the saxophone and it influenced the approval of the American people. Machiavelli goes a step further to state that a good ruler should boost of religious morals and more specifically Christianity. He demonstrates the impact of the Christian teachings when outlines that Christianity, ‘…appears to have made the world weak, and to have handed it over as prey to the wicked, who run it successfully and securely since they are well aware that the generality of men, with paradise for their goal, consider best to bear, rather than how best to avenge, their injuries.’3 He emphasizes the need for a ruler to profess of being aligned to a religion of some kind since it a secret trait that covers all others. He adds that it is easier to pretend to be of a certain religion without anyone questioning one’s stand on the matter as it is difficult to prove such a proclamation. Religion is a unifying practice that brings people of all backgrounds together as they share in its doctrines. I think this gives venue for a leader to join in the beliefs of his people making him one of them as he continues to engage himself with the very people that he rules over. We are able to relate to a higher degree with our leaders when they join with us in any activity that we hold dear. Their support is taken in good stride and even improves their public image and reputation. War and strife is a vice that will forever be present in the human race, since by nature we tend to enter into conflict in our everyday dealings with fellow man. Most citizens will then prefer a person who knows how to fight back in case a war breaks out and protect their independence. A good ruler should be conversant with any social circle, either when pursing power or when attacked by another party. This knowledge will help him gain the support of his people since they are sure of getting protection from their foes. The feeling of safety makes the people happy and thus will prolong the time of reign for their leader. Since this is the ultimate goal, rulers are apt to keep abreast with the current techniques of war and ensuring that their military is well armed in the occurrence of a war within and without. A trait of this kind is very vital to preserving the length of any leader as it creates a lasting impression on the citizenry. Besides, a minority of citizens will vote for such a talented ruler when faced with two rulers of the same political standing but with the latter trait. In another instance, Machiavelli says that a successful ruler should have good virtues but is careful not to be too good since he could be taken advantage of. Most people, by way of their innate characteristics, are rebellious and they easily bring down a leader who they believe to be soft. Instead, such a ruler should be able to express all the necessary virtues of good leadership such as control, discipline, consistence and others through forceful means but be wise enough to know the limits of such behavior so as to revert to compassion and good will when situation calls for it. In this way, he is trying to send a message to his subjects that they could rely on his judgment without worrying about insubordination from his people. This includes engaging in certain vices that may be considered a reproach to the society but necessary in maintaining the respect and power of a good ruler. This case scenario is seen even in today’s regimes with the most recent being the Bill Clinton’s love scandal. Most people believe that their beloved leader had the whole affair implicated on him but still others have no doubt that he lied in public so as to maintain his status quo and his reputation among the people. Lie or not, the man was able to suppress any hatred that may have been directed to him and maintain the love of his citizens. In effect, the idea of good luck or fortune could never be overruled. He states that even though we may acquire power by the right of birth, we still owe good fate to sustain us in times of a crisis when allies and military force fail us. He gives the example of Agathocles, a Sicilian and porter who was the brat son of a nobleman. Though his circumstances did not favor him, he was able to advance to a vibrant military career in the face of such dire hostility and bad luck. This could only be attributed to good fortune on his part. Others that thrived in the face of extreme conditions and accomplished far reaching acts of valiance can be seen in great leaders such as Alexander the Great, who in his pursuit to conquer immense civilizations, was able to sustain himself when no other being could. This shows that even his courage and hard work in realizing his impossible dream had to be graced with an amount of sheer luck. It is such observations that made Machiavelli write, ‘‘All men, or the majority of them, who have accomplished great deeds in this world, and who have been outstanding among the men of their day, have both in their origins and their birth been humble and obscure . . .’’4. As such, it is not enough to be graced with all the right qualities of a good leader but your fate should also work in your favor. Another great attribute of a successful ruler is the ability to be intelligent and act on the spur of the moment without hesitation. This means that one should seize the opportunity to excel when the chance arises or where none exists but be cunning enough to make it work in his favor. This is very true of most high ended leaders who in the face of mediocrity will devise ways of creating power for themselves when it is not fore coming. They plan endlessly the tactics to use to gain their political ambitions while being cautious of the negative consequences of their actions. Again we refer to Agathocles the Sicilian, who after a series of promotions aided by fate in the military was able to organize a coup that saw the murder of outstanding leaders of his country before all its citizens. Noble and legendary acts normally linger in the minds of people and will demand respect and favor. This is one of the ways that a good leader could keep his subjects interested and in awe of his leadership and reign. This is why some rulers will forever be embedded in our minds through history but others will soon be forgotten let alone mentioned. An example is King Ferdinand of Aragon who was involved in reuniting his kingdom after fighting great wars against his enemies. His people were forever indebted to him for his efforts and becoming a renowned legend. He showed that he was not afraid to face his enemies even when he knew what lay at stake. Machiavelli, in an assertion in tandem with good leadership, states, ‘‘Without doubt, princes become great when they overcome difficulties made for them and opposition made to them…. ”5. Lastly, a good leader should imitate the ways of animals. He especially relates to the lion and the fox. The lion cannot rescue himself from a trap and should be able therefore to frighten the wolves that lay traps for him. The fox on the other hand, cannot defend himself against wolves and hence should be able to discover the traps lay against him or in other terms the sneers thrown at him. In this illustration, Machiavelli is not talking of the courage of the lion but rather the horrifying roar that sends fear amongst his enemies. As such, a successful leader will send threats of violence when he is faced with eminent danger before he resolves to wage actual war. As a fox, this leader should be able to play around with the psychology of people in a bid to get what they desire. This will continue to emulate his superiority among his subjects due to this unpredictable wisdom. In conclusion, we can relate to most of the doctrines given above in today’s leadership regimes that continue to practice such knowingly and unknowingly. Some of the traits above may seem very harsh but in the end they accomplish the task at hand. This great philosopher provides us with a guideline to effective rule especially in complicated structures of administration and sovereignty. He may have been controversial but his teachings are relevant and timeless. Bibliography Machiavelli, N., & Goodwin, R.. The Prince. Boston: Dante University Press. (2003) Bailey, A. The Broadview anthology of social and political thought. Peterborough, Ont: Broadview Press. (2008). Spiekerman, T. Shakespeare's political realism: The English history plays. Albany, NY: State Univ. of New York Press. (2001). Machiavelli, N., Bondanella, P. E., & Musa, M. The portable Machiavelli. Hammondsworth, Eng: Penguin Books. (1983). Mansfield, Harvey C. The Prince. Niccolo Machiavelli. Translated and with an Introduction by Harvey C. Mansfield. Second Edition. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. (1998) Read More