3/16/2015

Analysing The Leadership Theories Of Machiavelli Politics Essay

Analysing The Leadership Theories Of

Machiavelli Politics Essay
Machiavelli, born on the 3rd day of May 1469, acquired his university education in the University of
Florence. He wrote a famous book entitled the Prince. This book is famous for its break down on the
issue of attributes of leadership and as such has become a guideline for leaders. He wrote the book
based on his earlier experiences, addressing how a prince (leader) should rule.
Although the book gained a lot of popularity, his views on the attributes of good leadership had a lot
of flaws. In The Prince he advocates mean rule instead of liberalism. He talks of the benefits of being a
dictator or exercising the autocratic style of leadership. There are a lot of leaders who have and are
following the Machiavellian style of leadership as he had described in The Prince. Examples of such
leaders who exercised or exhibited this type of leadership style were Muammar Abu Minyar alGaddafi of Libya and Idi Amin of Uganda.
Muammar Gaddafi being a Machiavellian according to his leadership style has been the leader of
Libya since he staged a military coup on the 1st of September 1969.[2]With the strict fellowship he
has in the Machiavellian style of leadership, he has sought to maintain the power he has had ever
since. In a recent article Gaddafi made a statement saying, I will fight to the last man and the last
bullet[3]This goes a long way to emphasize on one of the shortfalls of Machiavelli when he talked
about the fact that a leader has to gain power and should be able to maintain it by any means
possible. In the same way, Gaddafi promises to maintain his power even if it means he has to kill. This
action is affecting Libya in a negative manner since the world is pushing for democracy and finding all
means to eradicate autocratic system of governance and as such it is affecting the economy of the
state due to the current instability the country is facing now. As such, most investors would not be
willing to invest in a country where peace does not prevail. Also, with growing rate of civilization, killing
just to maintain power is barbaric and this would then send the state to a state of regression.
Idi Amin was an autocratic leader who sought to exercise his power through military means. In his era,
he created the situation whereby he was the only one who had the final say and no one could voice
out their values in any way he or she deemed fit. He created and environment which had and still has
a traumatizing effect on the people of Uganda now. During his reign as military dictator, there were
issues of the abuse of ethnic affiliations, cases of the abuse of human rights and potent radical
control, Asians faced expulsion from Uganda and killed outside normal legal
Already
degree
government through
proceedings.[4]Ugandans have still not devised
the means
of changing their
qualified?
undisturbed measures. Violence has become an option for which their voices could be heard.
Why not become one of
Again, Machiavelli talked about the situation whereby
the prince
didup
not have to possess any thoughts
our writers
and earn
apart from that of war. He describes meannesstoas
an attribute
of a good leader. He says liberality
5,000
a month.
would lead a prince or leader to be despised and hated whiles meanness would lead to reproach
without hatred hence, being mean is the answer to greater leadership.[5]
Read more (/freelance-writing-jobs.php)
Moreover, Machiavelli allowed the hatred he had in him to take the greater side of him when he was
imprisoned because of suspicion of his involvement in a conspiracy where he lost the trust he had in
humans. A typical example of such a leader who exhibited Machiavellian traits in his style of

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Analysing The Leadership Theories Of Machiavelli Politics Essay

leadership was Ghanas former president, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. Just as it is of human nature to
seek revenge for every pain inflicted upon him, Rawlings came into power through military means to
seek revenge for all the pain inflicted upon him in the past. He knew gaining power would be the only
way to show his hatred and have his revenge best served.[6]This is because having the power he
needs, all he has to do is to order for the people responsible for his pain to either be killed or
assassinated. As a result of this shortfall of Machiavelli which Rawlings also exhibited, most affected
Ghanaians even after the change from a military government to democratic governance still cannot
find it in their hearts to forgive him for his actions. It is for this reason that the National Reconciliation
Commission (NRC) was set up.
In addition, Machiavellis concept makes mention of the fact that the end justifies the means. He says
that if the action a leader takes brings about catastrophe in an area of specialization or nationwide
despair then the action taken should not be regarded as a good one.[7]Combining this concept to
the idea of establishing fear amongst ones followers, some Machiavellian leaders tend to modify this
act by protecting the citizens by any means possible so as to be loved by them. When the Americans
annexed Iraq, the Iraqis tried to resist their forces even though they were technologically more
competent and outstripped them in terms of their quantity, Saddam Hussein having inculcated a
great amount of fear in and hatred for Americans in his followers. He made himself an adherent of
the Machiavellian style of leadership. Also, as a result of the fear the Tunisian president drum in his
people, the only way they could show they were fed up with all his activities was have someone start
the protest and this was done by the unemployed and frustrated young man who felt the only way his
voice could be heard was to set himself on fire. Again, this action did not just end there. Egyptians
under the rule of Hosni Mubarak saw this as a platform to also voice out their values. Therefore one
can say that all these people were simply quiet because of the brutal fear they had for their various
leaders and were thus waiting for the right moment to retaliate.
Furthermore, Machiavelli in his book wrote about a leader (the prince) being feared rather than loved
by his people. Here, this situation would not work in a democratic society where the people decide
how long one should be a leader but in the communist society like China, the leader could in his own
discretion decide to practice the Machiavellian style of leadership and it would work perfectly for him
since he has to instill fear in his followers due to the fact that it is less likely for them to revolt against
the government or protest by defying authority.[8]
In conclusion, these Machiavellian leaders mentioned above, considering the good and bad sides of
Machiavellis thoughts on good leadership has led them to impact their nations in a negative manner.
Most of the countries like Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, among others are still in a state of unrest and this
posses as a threat to the surrounding nations since there is the fear that such actions could be
transferred.

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Analysing The Leadership Theories Of Machiavelli Politics Essay

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