Machiavelli's political philosophy and influence

Politics

The Prince and the Executive Branch

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the book "The Prince" by Machiavelli. Specifically it will describe and assess the advice that Machiavelli gives to the Prince. What are the implications for the executive branch? Machiavelli's book is a lecture to leaders about how to rule over their nations, and it contains much information that is relevant to the American president and executive branch today, and is startling similar to some operations already used by the executive branch.

Machiavelli's work clearly illustrates the notion that power and those who exert it have not altered perceptibly throughout the centuries. Machiavelli believes that power has always been able to corrupt, and those who manipulate it tend to be those most easily weak-willed and manipulated by others. This is extremely obvious in the current war between the United States and Iraq. Both countries staunchly believe the other is damaged and led by corrupted and weak-willed leaders, and each believes the other is capable of using deadly force against its enemies. As Machiavelli so cleverly noted, "Men gladly change their masters, thinking to better themselves; and this belief causes them to take arms against their ruler; but they fool themselves in this, since with experience they see that things have become worse" (Machiavelli 8). This seems especially applicable to the executive branch of our own government, who has undergone a massive loss of approval as the war with Iraq drags on. Many men (and women) in America want to "change their masters" in the upcoming presidential elections to voice their dissatisfaction with the war and leadership during the war. Thus, Machiavelli indicates that satisfaction and dissatisfaction can be fleeting, and things can become worse even with change.

Machiavelli's main purpose in writing this book is to illustrate the many uses of power that a ruler can use to manipulate and manage his kingdom. He wanted to show the Medici princes (Italy's rulers) how to become superior, more dominant rulers, so they can overcome the countries that are continually attempting to take Italy as their own. Advising princes how to rule he states, "You must know, then, that there are two methods of fighting, the one by law, the other by force: the first method is that of men, the second of beasts; but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second. It is therefore necessary for a prince to know well how to use both the beast and the man" (Machiavelli 58). This is extremely telling in the current situation with the executive branch as well, in many ways.

For example, many people disapprove of the methods of security and incarceration since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. They believe many of the tenets of the Patriot Act, along with the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and other facilities are unethical and go against rights granted in the Constitution. However, these methods continue, and it could be argued that the executive branch, in ignoring the criticism of these practices, is employing both the "beats and the man" to achieve its goals. It behaves like a "beast" in many of its practices and often stands on the rights of man in so doing. The executive branch knows how to use power effectively as both beast and man, and that is a little frightening when contemplating what could happen if the executive branch takes its power too far and becomes far more beast than man.