THINKER'S ALMANAC - May 3

What two animals does Machiavelli advise leaders to use as metaphors for success in politics?

Subject:  Political Science - The Lion and the Fox

Event: Birth of Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469

Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality, for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation. -Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)

On this day in 1469, Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Italy.  At 29, he was a diplomat for the Florentine Republic.  Italy at that time was a volatile patchwork of city-states, ruled by warring clans.  As he traveled throughout Italy on diplomatic missions, Machiavelli saw up close how ruthless and double-dealing politics could be.  When the Medicis family took power in Florence in 1512, Machiavelli lost his position, and shortly after he was charged with conspiracy.  Imprisoned and tortured, he denied any involvement and was eventually released.  He then retired to his farm estate outside of Florence.  

                        Niccolò Machiavelli - Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay 

Machiavelli then began to write the book that would make him known as the father of political science:  The Prince.  The book’s basic themes are leadership and what it takes to be a successful ruler.  Unlike past philosophers who focused on power as a divine right and leadership as guided by universal virtues, Machiavelli’s approach was about results.  Rather than idealism or ethical behavior, his approach was based on realism:  “[The Prince] should not deviate from what is good, if that is possible, but he should know how to do evil, if that is necessary.” According to Machiavelli as long as the prince maintains his state and achieves results, “his methods will always be judged honorable and will be universally praised.”

To truly be a successful ruler, the prince must be half-man and half-beast.  More specifically, “he must learn from the fox and the lion, because the lion is defenseless against traps and a fox is defenseless against wolves.  Therefore, one must be a fox in order to recognize traps and a lion to frighten off wolves.  Those who simply act like lions are stupid.”  With the combination of the lion's force and the fox’s cunning, the prince can function in a real world where “men are wretched creatures.”  

Rather than a cynical view, Machiavelli insists that his view is pragmatic, backed up by his study of truly successful princes:  “. . . those who have known best how to imitate the fox have come off best.”

Although he recognizes that it would be nice if a politician were loved, in the real world it is more important to be feared, for in the long run this will allow the prince to most effectively serve the state and provide the stability necessary for a successful society.

As Machiavelli puts it:

A prince cannot observe all those things which give men a reputation for virtue, because in order to maintain his state he is often forced to act in defiance of good faith, of charity, of kindness, of religion.  And so he should have a flexible disposition, varying as fortune and circumstances dictate.

Rather than focusing on the world of politics as it should be, The Prince is a work that instead focuses on the world of politics as it is, a world in which all people are not good and where a prince must occasionally be duplicitous or ruthless in order to defend and maintain the state.  In short, in governing, the ends sometimes do justify the means.  

Since it was published in 1532, five years after the author's death, The Prince has never gone out of date and remains a readable textbook on leadership and power.  Because it is based on sound psychological insights about the true nature of humans, it remains influential and relevant today.

Napoleon supposedly carried a copy of The Prince with him into battle and said that “The Prince is the only book worth reading.” Today, the term “realpolitik” is used when pundits refer to politics based on strength and pragmatism rather than on moral or ethical considerations.

Recall, Retrieve, Recite, Ruminate, Reflect, Reason: What was the main focus of Machiavelli’s leadership philosophy? What two animals did Machiavelli point to show the essential traits of a leader?

Challenge - Best Political Advice:  What's the best thing said by a politician?  Research some quotations, and identify the one you like the best.  Then, explain why you like it, and whether or not you think Machiavelli would agree with it.

ALSO ON THIS DAY:

May 3,  2016:  Angela Duckworth published her book Grit:  The Power of Passion and Perseverance.  To describe grit she uses the following simile: “Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.”