Political Theorist Niccolo Machiavellis Position - Term Paper Example

All the political theorists who came after Machiavelli referred to him directly or indirectly in his or her work.  His writings, like The Prince and The Discourses of the First Ten Books of Titus Livius, are well remembered by many authors and politicians who came after him (Soll, 34). Through his creativity in politics, therefore it was possible to predict what he would have said on the second amendment on the United States’ constitution. This amendment was adopted in 1791 together with a bill of rights. This amendment was to protect the United States citizens with the right of keeping and bearing firearms.  However, Niccolo Machiavelli would have different opinions on this right to keep and bear arms. Machiavelli would support it and on the other hand, he would deny the rights giving different reasons.

The second amendment grants the United States citizens the to keep and bear firearms (Spitzer, 23). This right was given due to many reasons. Possession of firearms was important in the following ways, it helps to repel dangerous invasions, grants one the right of personal defense, and enables people in organizing militias. Machiavelli would have supported this amendment because, in his writing, he said that before anything else, each person must be armed. He advised that military service should a responsibility to every citizen. Therefore, every citizen should have possession of some firearms to ensure that society is secured from any invasion. He supported possession of arms giving reasons that good men do not make war the only profession nor can a good government can allow its citizens to make war the only profession (Soll, 37).  He advised that each government should practice the art of war during the time of peace but war should occur when it is necessary to acquire glory. He believed that every citizen is considered a good man when he uses those arms in the correct way that is meant for. In addition, a government is considered well government when it uses its military to serve that society in a wrong way.  Therefore, he would support the second amendment of the constitution.

Furthermore, Machiavelli would support the second amendment of the United States’ constitution, which grants citizens the right of possessing firearms by claiming that this right would show that the government thrusts its citizens. Failure to grant the citizens this right, it will show that the government lacks faith in the citizens. This would make the citizens hate the government. However, the citizens should not be disarmed to ensure that the relationship between them and the government is kept in touch. This shows that Machiavelli would support the second amendment of the United States constitution.

There are some reasons that would make Machiavelli oppose the second amendment of the United States constitution. As the constitution would give rights to the citizens to keep and bear firearms, Machiavelli will oppose it just in case the citizens will use the firearms in a wrong way. He would oppose it is saying that only good citizens would use firearms during the necessary times to prevent invasion from other people. Those who will not follow this should be dealt with accordingly. He said that not all people do good things all the time. This is because their minds change like tides and at times, they can cause arms without realizing what they are doing. Therefore, the keeping and bearing of firearms should be abolished since it will cause a lot of harm if the citizens use them in a bad way. He would argue the idea that not everyone does the good thing all the time. Using his writing about the prince, he said that the prince would intentionally do part things to his subjects. This shows that giving the citizens the right to keep and bear firearms is going to bring many problems in society.

In conclusion, Niccolo Machiavelli would support the amendment of the United States’ contemporary constitution by giving reverences to his writing. Keeping and bearing firearms will ensure that the citizens are secured from any invasion. However, according to Machiavelli’s opinion, citizens should be granted this right to show that the government trusts its people.