Joe Lustig
Frank Biletz
History 101
Machiavelli Essay
Fear > Love
Undoubtedly one of the greatest influences on our world is public reaction. This includes
everybody’s reactions to world events on social media and and how they talk about it in person.
Frequently, world events tend to be a focus of common conversation, which leads to debates
between people regarding actions to take in order to solve these complex world events/issues. In
a global context, “solving” these issues often includes removing a dictator from power or
changing the way a government operates. Humans have been doing this “trial and error” method
with governing bodies for centuries. Mankind’s desire to achieve a utopian society often leaves
people in power nervous of losing it. The best current example of the humanity’s everlasting
power struggle are the current events in Syria. There, citizens are subject to the harsh rule of Al
Assad, who has been affiliated with the use of chemical weapons on Syrian citizens. More than 3
additional opposing militias are also involved, while countries from all over the globe are
backing different groups for different reasons. Syria’s struggle for power is not the first time
humans have scrambled for power. Power has always been a large part of our social and
economic structure. The fear of losing this power has been around for our entire recorded history
and has driven people to reflect on the best way to stay in power in a world of constant change.
These reflections gave birth to the view of Machiavellianism, a viewpoint based on the immoral
behaviors of political figures in Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince
. Some might argue that Al
Assad is a Machiavellian dictator due to how harsh he is, however they would be wrong because
he fails to embody many other Machiavellian principles. Machiavelli famously argued that it was
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better for a ruler to be feared rather than loved, however there is a correct way in which a ruler
should be feared. Machiavelli’s famous proposition is held true, proved by examining the life and
rule of Julius Caesar, one of the most studied and well known historic leaders.
In order to analyze the effectiveness of Machiavellian ideology, first we must understand
its founding principles. First, the reason Machiavelli wrote The Prince
was so he could secure a
place in the Italian government at the time. His literary genius was initially meant to be a simple
guide for world leaders. When writing whether it is better to be feared or loved, Machiavelli
expressed his view: “My view is that it is desirable to be both loved and feared; but it is difficult
to achieve both and, if one of them has to be lacking, it is much safer to be feared than loved”
(XVII, 79). He does note that there is a specific way in which rulers should govern their subjects
so that thought of revolt is crushed. Machiavelli thought his rulers should have a mentality at all
