Machiavelli and the President Lately, the president of the United States Bill Clinton, has pursued some policies that have been really unpopular non merely with the general populace but the electorate as good. Besides the whole Monica ordeal he feels that these unpopular policies will consequence the consequences of the following election. The presidential advisers have formulated infinite programs but no program has seemed to work.
One thought would be to go forth the unpopular policies as they are because of the president and advisers belief that they are the best for the state. Another option would be to merely show the unpopular policies in a new manner to maybe alter public sentiment on them. Still another would be to merely disregard the policies and dressed ore on the election. No affair what option, if any, should be chosen one must be thought up speedy and it must non merely reference the job but work out it and fast. Since I have late learned about Machiavelli and his work titled The Prince I feel his sentiments would assist to influence some determinations for the president and his advisers. A first and really of import position of Machiavelli would be his position of the prince and his advisers. It is an infallible regulation that a prince who is non wise himself can non be good advised. ( p.117 )
As it is up to the prince to be good advised it is besides up to the president to be good advised every bit good. The president’s advisers, every bit good as the president, are non certain what actions to take, which in Machiavelli’s position would non be a good feature of a leader and as a consequence would non assist addition friendly relationship of the people. Good relationship with the people is one of his greatest points because without the people there is no leader. The leader, the president, must hold the support of the people and if non he will non remain in power long. The president is non making a good occupation of this because of his very unpopular policies. Machiavelli would ne’er take to merely go on on the same way and peruse unpopular policies. It is necessary for a prince to possess the friendly relationship ; otherwise he has no resort in times of adversity. ( p.65 )
In response to this he would abandon the unpopular policies and dressed ore on winning the election, maintaining the people happy. Not merely should the leader dressed ore on the present and the hereafter but see the yesteryear. The prince ought to read history and analyze the actions of high work forces, examine the causes of their triumphs and licking in order to copy the former and avoid the latter. ( p.82 ) History is bound to reiterate itself if non watched really carefully. The leader must avoid reiterating the bloopers of the past and take note of the triumphs predating him. Another position that would assist the president out in his policies would be Machiavelli’s position on daring. The leader is far better of to be bold alternatively of cautious. If you expect for the worse and be prepared for bad times even if its non the best scheme you will be better off in the long tally.
For if it happens that clip and fortunes are favorable to one who acts with cautiousness and prudence he will be successful, but if clip and fortunes alteration he will be ruined, because he does non alter his manner of procedure. ( P. 121 ) The leader must at all times be prepared for the worst so he does non acquire caught off guard and do the people mad. If these positions of Machiavelli seem directly frontward or to direct possibly Leo Strauss or J.G.A. Pocock could explicate these methods of leading to the president. Pocock would elaborate on the topic of historical consciousness. He could assist the president understand that we have to look to our yesteryear to assist better ourselves for the hereafter.
Strauss on the manus would compare Machiavelli to the Greek and thier writtings. He would travel in deepness though about how the Greek, Mr. T in peculiar, were male monarchs in understatements while Machiavelli was really straightforward in his writtings. After showing these positions to the president I hope my cognition of Machiavelli and his manner of thought could assist act upon the policies in topographic point and possibly assist the president win the up approaching election. Possibly after my essay is read and I graduate Southwest Texas with a Political Science degree possibly I could acquire a occupation at the White House and someday take over his occupation.
