Machiavelli on The Vicious ‘Skeletons’ Inherent Within Politics

A CIRCULAR from Kumar Kirinde ... … with highlighting emphasis imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

Dear RAFOA member,

Now that another presidential election is due in a few weeks’ time in our beloved country … Sri Lanka. I thought that the attached document will be of interest to you.  The finer points with my take on the matter is given below mainly for the benefit of those who cannot spend much time reading documents running into a few pages.

A statue Niccol

The brief is on Machiavelli’s thinking on political power and ruling a nation.

Machiavelli was a diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived over 500 years ago in Florentine, a part of present day Italy. He served as a senior official in the Florentine Republic with responsibilities in diplomatic and military affairs.

For me his thinking is very realistic when looking at the exercise of political power and ruling of nations in the world during ancient times, the past and in the present. In many so-called under developed/developing  countries along with the change of political power comes people’s hope for a better tomorrow, but this hope has always remained a dream for the people.  Therefore I strongly feel that past rulers and political leaders of nations which have attained the ‘developed’ status have more or less followed Machiavelli’s thinking in steering their countries towards  prosperity and in converting the dream of a ‘better tomorrow’ into reality.  Of course some may not agree with my feeling as the thoughts of  Machiavelli are centered on ‘ruthless leadership’ which goes as following;

• Politics has always involved deception, treachery, and crime.
• To reject the notion that an imaginary utopia should serve as a model for governance, asserting instead the rulers must prioritise practical concerns and adopt their strategies to the exigencies of the political  landscape.
• A political leader has to stabilise his newfound power in order to build an enduring political structure and [hope] that social benefits of stability and security can be achieved in the face of moral corruption.
• A ruler must be concerned not only with reputation, but also must be positively willing to act unscrupulously at the right times.
• For a ruler it’s better to be widely feared than to be greatly loved; a loved ruler retains authority by obligation, while a feared leader rules by fear of punishment.
• The “necessity” for the methodical exercise of brute force or deceit,  to head off any chance of a challenge to the ruler’s authority.
• To save a republic from corruption, it is necessary to return it to a “kingly state” using violent means.
• Violence may be necessary for the successful stabilization of power and introduction of new political institutions. Force may be used to eliminate political rivals, destroy resistant populations, and purge the community of other men strong enough of a character to rule, who will inevitably attempt to replace the ruler.
• A ruler, whether establishing a kingdom or a republic, should be pardoned for resorting to violence and other controversial deeds if they ultimately serve the greater good.

Your views/comments are most welcome especially if the same are dissenting given the fact  Machiavelli’s thoughts are centered on ‘ruthless leadership’.

 With kind regards, …………….. Kumar, [being] Gp Capt Kumar Kirinde (Retd)  …. President – RAFOA

One attachment • Scanned by 

Machiavelli – His thinking on political power & ruling a nation

AN EDITORIAL NOTE:

In the world today ….from several centuries past …. we speak of “Machiavellian programmes” or “Machiavellian politics” because his tome received widespread acceptance — not only as an interpretational position, but also as a guideline for action by those in power and/or those seeking to secure power. Alas! Apoyi! Apoyi! Apoyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !@#!

ALSO NOTE

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli

  Portrait by Santi di Tito, c. 1550–1600