Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Qualities of a Prince examines the characteristics he deems essential for effective leadership. Despite being written centuries ago, certain qualities recommended by Machiavelli can still be relevant to contemporary leaders. Such qualities encompass benevolence and instilling fear within the public.
According to Machiavelli, using generosity in a way that leads to a reputation for it will be detrimental. However, this advice is now irrelevant. Pope Francis, the current leader of the Catholic Church, exemplifies how being generous can actually be a positive quality for a leader. Recently, he has been going out at night to aid homeless individuals. His acts of generosity have endeared him to the people, making him a more effective leader with devoted followers. Pope Francis shares meals and spends time with the homeless, demonstrating love and care towards them. These acts of kindness establish him as a beloved leader and assure the Catholic Church’s members that they are in capable hands.
Machiavelli’s advice on the effectiveness of fear over love when one is lacking still holds true today, as demonstrated by Kim Jong-Il, the leader of North Korea. Through his totalitarian rule, Kim Jong-Il instills fear in the public by denying political rights and civil liberties, enforcing forced marriages and abortions, inflicting torture and public executions on citizens, and utilizing forced labor in prison camps. This atmosphere of fear allows him to maintain power as it deters assassination attempts. Thus, Kim Jong-Il exemplifies how being feared can be more effective than being loved by the populace.
According to Machiavelli, a successful leader must possess both generosity and fearfulness. Pope Francis and Kim Jong-Il demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies in leadership, despite their differing circumstances. Therefore, Machiavelli’s claim that fear is an essential trait for a prosperous leader remains valid, while his assertion that generosity is ineffective is incorrect.
