This Essay will examine Machiavelli’s stand on the role of morality in politics, if it is useful for the common good, and the purpose of the state and morality itself. In order to provide a clear and linear argument, this essay will be divided in three sections. In the first paragraph, I will provide a brief historical background on morality, and the importance that it had in society with Christian principles as base for a correct and good state, cultural context and few prior political thinkers on the subject and Machiavelli’s relatively new controversial and audacious approach on the topic. From this background, in the second part, the focus will be moved on Machiavelli’s amorality and main ideal that good and efficient state are fundamentally
…show more content…
Machiavelli believed in Pragmatism, how things were done were highly irrelevant, the most important matter was the results of things, and a prince will be judged only by history, because there is no higher authority. Machiavelli starts from the Aristotelian observation that the good man and the good citizen are not necessarily the same; it is the good citizen with which Machiavelli is concerned, and this is a historical matter. (Williams, 1991) Moral and Christian qualities -submissiveness, kindness, forgiveness- were irrelevant in a political context, a healthy, a virtuous prince must abandon these rigid ethics and in necessity, adopt so called evil policies for a greater and common good. Politics is the most important aspect in human’s life, it creates security and limits fear, therefore morality is subordinate to politics. A good politician must avoid, by all means, greater and general insecurity, which are bad for society. In these new terms, evil is everything that recreates the original condition of insecurity. A ruler (or prince) must recognize that cruelty is often necessary if they want to keep their population united and loyal, and he must not refrain from being cruel, unjust or inhuman (Skinner, 1998). Machiavelli’s advice to the prince is as follows: “If necessary, be severe, instil fear, use violence; if …show more content…
Underwood acquired “principality by his own ability and not through fortune”, using ruthless and amoral means, deceiving the public using honest words to cover his dishonest modes. He is extremely ambitious, virtuous and manipulative (Flavin, et al., 2016). Frank Underwood tries to be loved and respected, but when it becomes impossible, he chooses to instil
Machiavelli believed in Pragmatism, how things were done were highly irrelevant, the most important matter was the results of things, and a prince will be judged only by history, because there is no higher authority. Machiavelli starts from the Aristotelian observation that the good man and the good citizen are not necessarily the same; it is the good citizen with which Machiavelli is concerned, and this is a historical matter. (Williams, 1991) Moral and Christian qualities -submissiveness, kindness, forgiveness- were irrelevant in a political context, a healthy, a virtuous prince must abandon these rigid ethics and in necessity, adopt so called evil policies for a greater and common good. Politics is the most important aspect in human’s life, it creates security and limits fear, therefore morality is subordinate to politics. A good politician must avoid, by all means, greater and general insecurity, which are bad for society. In these new terms, evil is everything that recreates the original condition of insecurity. A ruler (or prince) must recognize that cruelty is often necessary if they want to keep their population united and loyal, and he must not refrain from being cruel, unjust or inhuman (Skinner, 1998). Machiavelli’s advice to the prince is as follows: “If necessary, be severe, instil fear, use violence; if …show more content…
Underwood acquired “principality by his own ability and not through fortune”, using ruthless and amoral means, deceiving the public using honest words to cover his dishonest modes. He is extremely ambitious, virtuous and manipulative (Flavin, et al., 2016). Frank Underwood tries to be loved and respected, but when it becomes impossible, he chooses to instil