Machiavelli's Philosophy in Modern US: A Good Government? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Machiavelli would consider the modern United States of America a "safe and happy" government. The Prince, the 16th-century treaty by Niccolo Machiavelli, shows the modern political philosophy. The definitions used in The Prince, such as acceptance of the goal of the princes, including survival and glory, are used in justifying the use of immoral measures for achieving these ends. The modern United States is what Machiavelli would term as a good government. Machiavelli states that "A "civil principality" is one where the citizens attain power by supporting fellow citizens and not by using violence" (Machiavelli, 1984, p. 1). What this means is that leadership does not need extreme fortune or virtue. Machiavelli makes a significant differentiation between two groups that are present in every city, which is reminiscent of the modern United States of America. The two groups are the "people" and the "great," where the latter oppresses and rules the former. The people of the great put in place liberty, especially when they have the chance of taking power. The wishes of the people are that they are not crushed or ruled. The principality is not the only result that comes from these appetites because they result in "license" or "liberty."

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Machiavelli would consider the current United States safe and happy because of its strong principles and institutions such as the Electoral College. Machiavelli states, "The principality assigns leaders who are famous for the people and with maximum benefit or a reliable authority that defends the people" (Machiavelli, 1984, p. 2). The extent to which the current American government operates, with an Electoral College that ensures the popular leader is elected for the people. The former President of the United States, Barrack Obama, was actively chosen on a unanimous decision, and he represented the will of the people. These examples are accurate to the words of Machiavelli, who claimed that leaders who obtain power from the nobles have harder times staying in control compared to those who are selected by the ordinary people. At the same time, Machiavelli contends that a prince is incapable of keeping the ordinary people hostile because of their large numbers compared to the small amounts of the nobles (Machiavelli, 1984, p. 4). The United States of America has undergone different transitions, especially during the 1960s, when the oppressed stood up against the government's actions. The Jim Crow laws were introduced to suppress the African Americans, a situation which they effectively championed against these discriminative laws (Wilson, 2017, p. 154). In the words of Machiavelli, familiar people cannot be kept hostile. The American government has, for a long time, remained the African Americans and other minorities hostile, to which they effectively responded.

Machiavelli would also consider the government safe and happy because of the roles of women in the government that are increasingly being recognized and appreciated. Women have undergone significant changes in the history of the United States. The feminist movement came into light and focused on promoting the agenda of women globally, fighting for a group that was historically kept hostile by the American government. Machiavelli underlines the ways of winning over people, including not getting frightened in adversity, avoiding ruling through magistrates, and making sure that people require the Prince, especially during need. The case of the judiciary of the United States shows the practicality of Machiavelli's words, especially with the ruling through the magistrate. "Congress has limited the powers of the President of the United States of America, and the judiciary functions as an independent branch of the government that is not affected by personal opinions" (Wilson, 2017, p. 161). Judging the strength of the American government is achieved by looking at its military and defense. Machiavelli explored the different ways a nation can attack other territories or defend itself in case of attacks.

For the United States of America, the two most common foundations, whether new or old, are robust military forces and sound rules and regulations. A self-sufficient ruler is one who meets the enemy on the battlefield, as shown through the initiatives of the United States through its attacks on Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. At the same time, Machiavelli argues that a prince who relies only on the fortification or assistance of others and stands on the defense is not self-sufficient. If the United States is incapable of raising a formidable army and must rely on the defense, she needs to fortify the city (Wilson, 2017, p. 169). To this end, the United States is a fortified city that has minimal chances of being attacked. In times of siege, the virtuous Prince of Machiavelli keeps the subjects' morale very high while also getting rid of the dissenters. Provided the city has excellent protection and sufficient supplies, the wise Prince withstands any siege. The use of mercenaries is not an aspect that Machiavelli agrees with because of their indiscipline, unruly, and cowardly nature. Mercenaries do not have any loyalty and are only motivated by money.

Therefore, in light of the above arguments, Machiavelli would consider the United States a "safe and happy "government. The present government obeys the words of Machiavelli about "The Prince," who defines what a good ruler is. The U.S government has enough structures in place, including the three arms of the government that regulate behavior, the Electoral College, and the Congress that ensure safe procedures are in place to effectively govern the people.

References

Machiavelli, N. (1984). The prince (1513). New York: Bantam. Retrieved from http://class.guilford.edu/psci/kdell/Assignments/TAP/theprince.pdf

Wilson, W. (2017). Constitutional government in the United States. Routledge. Retrieved from https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/18451/GIPE-002399.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y