Machiavelli's Political Theories
Machiavelli's Political Theories
Known as the father of Modern Political Theory, Niccolo Machiavelli was born in
Florence, Italy on May 3,1469. He was a respected political leader of the City of Florence
during his time but he was jailed when the Medici Family was back in the power. During
that time, he made one of his well-known masterpieces, The Prince.
On Machiavelli’s Political Theories, power is very important factor that a person
should have in order to live in a society. Machiavelli believed that power defines position
in the society. People are grouped according to their acquired power, those at the top are
the powerful and those at the bottom are the weaker ones. A state should be ruled by a
person who could maintain peace by his power and should be called Prince. The Prince
needs to be powerful to maintain peace in state. He needs not to be morally perfect. In
“The Prince”, Machiavelli tries to explain the importance of power for the maintenance
of the state. He said that the protection of the state should be at high importance. He is
not after the perfectness of constitution because for him, it will be useless if it doesn’t
protect the well-being of the people. The affairs of the state should be managed by the
prince. The only way to rule the nation at best is if it observe secularism wherein there is
a separation between the state and the church. States affair should be independent with
the church but the church remains to be a department or sector of the state. Religion
should not be mixed with politics. State as the highest form of human organization, has
only one end. It either expand or expire. If it doesn’t expand, it will cease to exist.
Machiavelli believes on the importance of practicality over morality. Being morally
excellent is not a requirement to become a ruler because the goodness of the ruler cannot
define the success of his administration. Power is more important than virtue. Inducing
fear to the subjects make them follow you. It is better to be feared than to be loved
according to Machiavelli. He must be ready to commit sin if it is needed to serve the
people. He doesn’t mean that the ruler should be evil but if the circumstances permits, as
long as it is for the people, it’s still reasonable. In Machiavelli’s “The Prince”, he
introduced the term Machiavellian Virtue and Machiavellian Fortuna or Fortune.
Machiavellian Virtue is defined as the ability of the ruler to adopt to any situation.
Fortuna is said to be the goddess of fortune which brings good or bad luck to anyone. The
essence of Machiavellian Virtue to a ruler is to adopt on what Fortuna might bring in just
a blink of an eye. Fortuna might destroy all but the ability to respond of the ruler saves
the state from falling.
Machiavelli’s Political Theories can be seen in the Campaign of Pres. Duterte
against drugs. Although there are thousands of people killed, so many controversies
against him, and many speculations about extrajudicial killings, still he stands firm and
continuing to realize his vision that one day Philippines will be a safe place to live in and
a drug-free country.