Up@dawn 2.0

Thursday, September 29, 2016

The Politician (H1)

Machiavelli's rules for leadership laid out in The Prince are not just rule that royalty can follow, they can be used by the modern day politician as well. Machiavelli's tactics of cunning and deceitfulness in order to obtain one's ultimate goal are in line with the way some politicians work; after all, the end justifies the means right?
But are Machiavelli's tactics the best ones to use? Should we admire a ruthless and determined politician over an honest one? Is just the obtaining of one's goal really what makes the best politician? Or is it someone who always keeps the people in mind and works, not underhandedly, but with others? There are already so many modern politicians it seems that use Machiavellian mean, maybe the best thing in today's age are politicians who don't, to help balance the field and make politics honest.
Let's look at our current top presidential candidates and the contender that didn't quite make it. Clinton has been in some form of political office nearly since before I was born, and Trump has been running large business (which could be similar to running a country today) for longer. What we've seen through this election is that Trump is not afraid to to do or say what's necessary to sway those in his party to vote for him, no matter how outlandish it may be. When he was younger he was quoted as saying that if he ever wanted to become president, he'd run republican because it would be so much easier to get their vote. Trump really does embody the ends justify the means argument. Meanwhile, Clinton has made work of numerous connections and has not been afraid to flash her political pedigree and the knowledge and secrets that she's gained from working in office for so long.
So now let's look at Bernie Sanders. Arguably, the most honest candidate and the only one who didn't use underhanded means. While he may have lost the nomination he came scarily close to getting it, because the people loved him and how he was this new kind of politician that wasn't going to maneuver and manipulate, but rather one that was just going to do his best. And while he may not be elected president this term, who's to say that in the future a candidate more like him won't be?

1 comment:

  1. I like how you brought up the politician in with the ruler rules in The Prince, I was thinking the exact same during my reading of the western philosophy book. My only question for you is: how do you believe power within the political system affects this? As in Congress vs. President?

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