The Flaw in Machiavelli's Thought

Niccolo Machiavelli would clearly fall into the first category in the first sentence of the following statement:

"There are two ways of being unpolitical: to think that politics can do everything, and to think that politics can do nothing. The first leads to Utopianism and fanaticism, the second to Epicureanism and apathy; yet despite their opposite effects, both are symptoms of the same disease, a failure of realistic vision."

Machiavelli may not believe that politics (as condensed in the person and power of the prince) can do literally everything, but in the mere act of writing a book such as The Prince, he has made clear that he believe politics, through the effective and ruthless prince, can do much, or whatever the prince might dream of doing with such power. Therefore, if forced to decide, Machiavelli would clearly place himself in the category of those who believe that "politics can do everything." This reader would agree with Machiavelli's likely self-assessment to this point.

The conclusion of the statement above is that believing that politics can do everything will lead to Utopianism and fanaticism, and will not lead to a realistic assessment of politics, political leaders, and their power to bring about change. Of course, Machiavelli would disagree that he himself advocated a Utopia, that he encouraged fanaticism (or was himself a fanatic), or that he was unrealistic. This reader would disagree with Machiavelli on this point and would argue instead that h

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ot simply advocate brute force as the only or primary tool of the leader, but instead argues for persuasion---including the use of any necessary lies---as long as persuasion works. As Machiavelli notes, if the leaders "depend on their own energies and can make use of force, then they hardly ever come to grief" (Machiavelli 18). His ideas can be used as intellectual justification not only for the brutality of tyrannies, but also for much of the corruption and deception which are today so blatantly a part of the democratic process as well. The point which needs to be underscored in this discussion is that The Prince is not concerned with setting up a Utopia in the usual sense of that word (a society which focuses on bringing about an ideal state of affairs for the people, however wrong that attempt might go). What Machiavelli seeks is a state in which the prince is in firm control of the state and the people, through the military, through laws, through terror and brutality, through benefits and persuasion. Yes, Machiavelli allows the latter two, not in and of themselves, but only for the sake of maintaining power and using it effectively. It just so happens that at times the needs of the prince and the people coincide, but if

Category: Government - T