Machiavelli: Should the Ruler Always Keep his Word - Essay Example

? Machiavelli: should the ruler always keep his word? Introduction Too many works have been devoted to exploration of an outstanding phenomenon of Machiavelli, but too many unresolved questions remained…This research paper is focused on Machiavelli’s considerations about the relevance of the ruler in keeping his word. This issue is of high relevance in the modern political context, when the rulers of different countries do not keep their words, but only developing a tricky campaign, which promotes and popularizes their hidden intentions and the real essence. Machiavelli’s famous work “The Prince” was acknowledged only after his death, but this great political actor and thinker, who was an outstanding patriot, managed to develop his unique ideas, inspiring great rulers of the word. He did everything in another way; he tried to describe the essence of power from a quite different perspective. He revealed the secrets of rulers and their essence and he managed to open the eyes of several generations on their Princes, who promote their own interests and selfish concerns, but do not think about their people at all. A word of a ruler by Machiavelli It is evident that everyone was enchanted by his words, because he impresses the readers by impudent strategies and tactics of gaining power. For example, in the Chapter 8 from The Prince he claims: “One ought not, of course, to call it virtu to massacre one’s fellow citizens, to betray one’s friends, to break one’s word, to be without mercy and without religion. By such means one can acquire power but not glory” (Prince online). Unfortunately, very many politicians in the modern world are not afraid of following this claim and do not think about glory, but only about power gaining. Machiavelli developed his theory on the basis of his exaggerated feeling of patriotism, impatience to papacy and personal emotional and psychological sufferings. Chapter 18 from The Prince deals with the issue of the rulers’ ability to keep their word. A personality of a ruler is rather challenging for Machiavelli and he claims that a future ruler was brought up in controversial conditions and he does not know what mode of behavior to choose: "What [classical writers] intended to convey, with this story of rulers’ being educated by someone who was half beast and half man, was that it is necessary for a ruler to know when to act like an animal and when like a man; and if he relies on just one or the other mode of behavior he cannot hope to survive" (Prince online). He tries to use his beasty features and copies modes of behavior from the world of animals, because a lion is very strong, but he cannot avoid traps. A fox is not rather strong, but can avoid traps. A wise ruler should not choose one mode of behavior and should not apply equal ways of behavior, because it will lead to numerous disadvantages. All men are wicked and a ruler does not need to keep faith with them. The most valuable knowledge for a ruler is “to know how to conceal how crafty one is, to know how to be a clever counterfeit and hypocrite” (Prince online). A ruler should be rather flexible person. He may act in a right or in a wrong way. He must not be scared off by different modes of behavior, but he should choose the most appropriate type of behavior for every particular situation. People see the ruler from the side they want to see. The real essence is evident for people through external appearances and potential outcomes. There is no wonder that the rulers in the ancient time dressed like common people and walked among them in order to listen what the subordinates think about their master. Only outcome always matters. This is a twofold claim. It can be applied for wars, when the winning nation celebrates their victory, but the whole process of war, human losses and hardships of civilians is often forgotten. Machiavelli is focused on self-benefit. A personal gain of a ruler is more important than honor and trust of the nation. The rulers are self-confident and wise and to keep his word is necessary in case the conditions, when the ruler gave his word remain the same. Machiavelli claims: "a wise ruler… cannot and should not keep his word when such an observance of faith would be to his disadvantage and when the reasons that made him promise are removed" (Prince online). As a matter of fact, people vote for rulers, who can keep their word, but in reality it is evident that the rulers very often break their word. In accordance with Machiavelli, to keep a word is a selfish intention of a ruler. A wise ruler should be aware of the value of his word. For example, in case a ruler promised to save lives of two men in any case, but their deaths may lead to salvation of million people, then, of course, it is more appropriate for the ruler not to keep his word. As a result, two lives will be lost and millions of lives will be saved. From another perspective, a power of a ruler is above other man and no man could make an attempt to cheat a ruler. The prince is above his people, because the nation is full of slaves, who are subjected to the power of the Prince. The world of ordinary people is rather simple, men are ignorant in the majority of cases and the ruler has an opportunity to cheat his people. There is a great benefit of a ruler to take control over ignorant crowd, because in such a way the prince gains personal benefits and it is the easiest way to gain benefits by cheating common people. The exploiting of people is reflected in the principles of Machiavelli to gain benefits from poor subjected people. The Prince’s downfall is caused by his ability to unify and criticize all people. Everything that happens in the world should be considered with respect to a potential benefit of the Prince. The imagined republics present a perfect basis for considerations about potential tactics and strategies directed on gaining power. Very often the states of the modern world are not focused on trusted policies and do not rely on trust of their nations. They are mainly focused on their personal benefits only and there is no doubt that subjected people can suffer from underestimation and a direct neglect. On the one hand, a prince, who is praised by other people and keeps his word, is entrusted and is worthy of respect. Nevertheless, the most successful princes gain their power in case they do not neglect tricks and cheating. Every Prince has a chance to promote his policies either by law or by force. Laws are related to men and force is related to beasts. Therefore, a prince can break his word in case keeping it may lead to his disadvantages. Promises are vague reliable principles for princes in conducting their policies. The nature of all men is wretched and deceitful and it is relevant for the prince to be a master of deception. Nevertheless, appearance of a prince should describe him as a compassionate, trustworthy and a kind ruler. In reality, this appearance is only a mask, which hides the real essence and the inner intentions of the prince. The Prince should be virtuous and then the nations will like him. Moreover, people will judge people with respect to the results of his actions. The nation is curious about the actions committed by the Prince. They wonder if he does right or wrong actions. Those people, who trust their princes, facilitate the process of gaining power to the latter. An internal power of a beast enables princes to reach their goals not by means of law, but by means of force. This strategy is often criticized by the common people and they do not have a proper opportunity to win over those selfish princes, who are promoting and protecting only their own interests. A Prince should be aware of two natures: of a human nature and of a nature of a beast. It is easier to gain power in case a nature of beast dominates, but this is a wrong way to glory. Only power can be gained by such means. It is appropriate for the princes to decide, whether a behavior of a lion or of a fox is the most beneficial at a given moment and in the given context. Machiavelli provides an example of behavior of Pope Alexander VI, who “had no care or thought but how to deceive, and always found material to work on. No man ever had a more effective manner of asseverating, or made promises with more solemn protestations, or observed them less” (Prince online). He was aware of a hidden nature of a man. He could deceive his people, but he always succeeded in his wicked motifs of gaining power.    It is evident that for the Prince it is relevant to have this type of features and qualities, like Pope Alexander VI had. Nevertheless, a mind of a man should be powerful and the Prince should know the way he can change attitudes of people to him. It is always difficult to change attitudes of people, but the real Prince should be able to persuade his people that his actions are right. There is no doubt that a powerful and a successful ruler is aware of how things are going among his people. A new Prince cannot work in compliance with deeply rooted religious, social and economic principles. Otherwise he may lose his Princedom. What is left for him, actually? There is the only one right answer: the Prince should be able to change moods of his nation and his people and make them accept his own ways of behavior and his templates, tactics and strategies of ruling. A human perception of a Prince should be based on his correct appearance and he should embody five basic characteristics, which are perceived by people as embodiment of his dignity. These features are: “mercy, good faith, integrity, humanity, and religion” (Prince online). People’s eyes can witness different features and deeds of a prince, but their real perception depends on their judgment concerning his actions. This claim can be argued, because it is a usual practice that the nation of the country thinks that they know the real essence of their Prince. Machiavelli claims: “Everyone sees what you seem, but few know what you are, and these few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many who have the majesty of the State to back them up” (Prince online). Thus, there is a great difference among people, who think that they know the real essence of their Prince and those who really know his essence. The results of a Prince’s actions are often considered in a scrutinized manner by his people. Therefore, every Prince cares much about a right establishment and promotion of his authority. This claim can be supported in the modern context, when President’s election campaign costs millions of dollars in the name of establishment and promotion of the right and appropriate authority. The last lines of this chapter by Machiavelli outline a template, which is appropriate even for modern rulers in the following way: “A certain Prince of our own days, whose name it is as well not to mention, is always preaching peace and good faith, although the mortal enemy of both; and both, had he practiced them as he preaches them, would, oftener than once, have lost him his kingdom and authority” (Prince online).    Conclusion Consequently, The Prince by Machiavelli was forbidden in the world, because it is a creative heritage of a clerk of the middle rank, who was able to tell the truth about the rulers. The author embodies the ideas of a real patriot, outlines frustrated hopes of being the Prince himself. There is no wonder that Hitler used this work as the book, which he kept near his bed. During all times people were afraid of truth. Machiavelli was not afraid of telling the truth about the most important issue–about truth of a ruler. Of course, this great thinker can be criticized and his works can be forbidden, but with respect to this work it is easy to understand the essence of the modern politics and politicians all over the world. They think in one way and act in another way. There are a lot of pitfalls in their politics and very often people are not aware of those divergences. To read Machiavelli is to penetrate in the depth of historical mysteries and secrets. References Machiavelli. The Prince. [online]. Available from: http://www.online-literature.com/machiavelli/prince/ [Accessed June 30, 2012] Read More