The Influence of Machiavelli Essay Example

Machiavelli was revolutionary during  his time because of his philosophy that was introduced during his letter The Prince.  He had an understanding of how the way government should be ruled like no one before.  At least that nobody had noticed before.  His ideas and beliefs were backed up by massive names in history, which upset many.  He completely disagreed with the normal philosophy opting for his own that would end up shaping how the world is ruled today.  Machiavelli teaches those who can understand to take fortune into their own hands and to not let faith control his life, because he goes against these old philosophies to describe how humans really act.

During the time Machiavelli was alive the world was filled by new governments rising and falling around him.  The cyclical nature of government has been around since government its self.  The world was that of religion mixing in with philosophy.  Especially in Italy at the time  with Pope being so influential.  Along with the religious world he lived in there were many types of governments around Machiavelli such as monarchy, tyranny, democracy, oligarchy,.  The government was completely intertwined with the state at the time and often in Italy’s history, and because of that people would become complacent and wait for God and their faith to make positive impacts in their life.  They would not go against a corrupt government that is doing more harm than good because of The rules claim to rule through God.  They waited and hoped to be fortunate throughout life to gain success and power.  Where we see rules who gained this power through fortune were never able to sustain.  The people never questioned a rulers nature or virtue because of this religious backing.  The church’s definition of virtue was to live life morally as well as helping others, by always doing what is right and just.  There is no room for the fitting in this sense of morality. 

Machiavelli completely goes against everything politics was based on at this time.  He directly rejects all religion and the contribution religion makes into government.  Religion requires morality and virtue at its core.  It needs a man to put others in front of themselves which he thinks is impossible for humanity.  He thinks humans are inherently greedy people who will do anything for money and power. Machiavelli understands this and calls for leaders to be moral and immoral  to do what is fitting.  He does not care what religions or society’s morality is all he cares about is the specific instance where a decision can be made.  For example doing something that may seem bad morally but may end up benefiting more people than harming.  He urges his own understanding of virtue called Virtú.  Where he wants the people who understand his writing to not let fortune and luck dictate their lives like it has under previous rulers, and instead to not sit around and wait for something to happen to them and instead to go out and take it.  To seize what can be theirs and any cost.  He wants thinks people have to be cunning and deceitful as well as forceful to gain and maintain what is theirs. He introduces this duality in an interesting was saying, “The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”(Machiavelli 69).  He compares peoples duality to two different animals and their strengths.  The people who want to be successful under machiavelli’s teaching  need to master using law and force hand in hand.  This is why he is considered such an evil person in many opinions, because of what he teaches.  He continues the war he has waged against religion by bringing humans down from striving for divinity to being animals, and there is nothing they can do to get away from that.  It is no direct action but what actions and people he inspires.  He brings the worst out of people morally and politically, and we have seen this ever since his death.

Ever since Machiavelli died The Prince has been seen everywhere in modern politics.  This treatise was seen as the shift from from old to new politically.  Even when it’s presence is not specifically stated the philosophies are deeply rooted into political society.  Machiavelli made this with intent to change the world for the better in his opinion, but not in others for example when the prince was banned by the Catholic Church.  Which is not supporting because of the extent that Machiavelli goes to blame the church as the reason for a lot of governments downfall. Even today politicians identify as Machiavellian, because of how much they agree with the philosophy and ideas portrayed in the prince.  

In conclusion machiavelli was a writer and source for many politicians philosophy  throughout history and the foreseeable future. He was that turning point in political history and shaped the political landscape into what we see today.  The reliance on fortune and religion in politics before Machiavelli has completely changed today. Now politics are much more deceitful as a direct result of his writings. His influence can be seen in life around us and allows us to understand how politics today have came to be.