Machiavelli’s Theory on Political Leadership (Essay Sample)

Machiavelli’s Theory on Political Leadership
Student’s Name
Course Title and Number
Instructor
Date
Machiavelli’s Theory on Political Leadership
Machiavelli’s theory of political leadership creates controversy between leadership and ethics. His theory states that a successful leader uses fear and love to establish order and maintain stability. However, if a leader cannot use both fear and love, Machiavelli recommends using fear. According to Machiavelli’s theory, the end justifies the means. Therefore, the theory advocates oppressiveness and ruthlessness. A successful leader ought to have a firm character to perform unsavory acts, especially when the situations necessitate choosing the “least bad” course of action. In my opinion, Machiavelli’s theory of political leadership is a crucial tool in the 21st century if applied correctly.[John Wilson Sink, "Machiavelli in Modern Times: Political Theory in The Leadership of Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt During the Second World War", Carolina Digital Repository, Last modified 2021, https://doi.org/10.17615/qfca-ad32.]
Assessing Machiavelli’s work from the modern political perspective, I think good leaders should earn respect from their supporters. The leaders need to be smart enough to select auxiliary support from the people they know well, trust, and value who can sell their agendas without turning fear into hatred. For example, in his work The Prince, Machiavelli asserts that the downfall of a prince who wants to act honorably is inevitable if unscrupulous men surround him. I think Machiavelli intended to urge leaders to select their advocates and governor wisely to avoid revolts.[John Wilson Sink, "Machiavelli in Modern Times” 50]
Machiavelli’s theory of political leadership can be