Richard Nixon as Represented in Machiavellian "Prince" Essay

There exists a gap between how someone lives and how someone should live such that whoever abandons what is usually done for what should be done discovers his ruin instead of his preservation. Machiavelli recognizes the fact that judge each other and more specifically our leaders based on the qualities that bring us praise or blame. As such, the prince ought to be cautious enough to be in a position to flee the bad reputation of those misconducts that would make him lose power in the society, and at all cost should possibly protect himself from all that would likely make him lose his current position in the nation. By carefully putting all into account, something which seems to be a virtue if followed will lead to prince's destruction, while something else which appears to be a vice if observed will lead to his well-being and safety. However, Machiavelli is not advocating the Prince to avoid doing what ought to be done, but he is stressing that the vision for any leader should be, be accountable to and for the world that they seek to change to avoid evil and violence in his city and maintain his power. As such, the prince should always use the strategy of not being good to make goodness real. (Nixon 7-56).

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Richard Nixon served as the president of US from 1969 to 1974, but his role in Watergate scandal led to his resignation in 1974. Watergate Scandal was a Faustian haggle that took place in the United States for the political power. The motives behind Watergate crime were to forcefully keep Nixon who was a mighty president in power as well as benefits the people who surrounded him. This was achieved via Richard Nixon's administration by influencing and harassing the activists and opposition (Waldron 230). Additionally, they were involved in laundering and Misuse of the public funds. However, this haggles never lasted for long. Everything came to light which led Nixon to resign from the presidency. This scandal had remarkable effects on ways through which the Americans viewed their federal government.

Additionally, this scandal destroyed the reputation of Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon act has contrasted the act of Machiavelli of being good. Machiavelli stated that if a leader (prince) wished to stay in power for long, the leader should always learn and exercise not to be doing good or else be on the right side. This is since doing the right thing end up affecting several bad people. Richard Nixon actions go against the principles of the prince as per Machiavelli. Some of Richard Nixon's actions portrayed and depicted failure and arrogance to honour his pledges. The hunt of his political goals hindered the achievement of the visions of the US during his term (Archer 156-210).

By bombing of Cambodia, the president Richard Nixon aims was scare and intimidates the Cambodians without opposition. Up to date, Cambodians suffer the outcomes of the atomic blast that resulted to loss of thousands of lives as well as distort vital parts of the inhabitants. Before he was elected as a president, he promised to end a war that claimed several American soldiers' lives. Different from expectations, he initiated and endorsed bombing in North Vietnam to threaten leaders in that area. By doing so, he went against the public as well as the American leader's wishes by not withdrawing the soldiers. As such, he failed his voters by delaying application of justice even after several appeals by his fellow leaders and public. Richard Nixon actions were brutal and violated human rights and ethics. This extremely disappointed the American citizens since they had overwhelmingly voted him as their president for the second term since his first term was successful via the creation of peace treaties. For instance the Chinese peace deals of 1972. Hardly could they predict or know his impending actions (Nixon 76-102).

Richard Nixon and his wife Pat had a distant relationship since they were rarely together. This is well clearly seen when they travelled on a plane in separate compartments and slept on separate bedrooms. They were only seen together on shows but without conversation. The two made fake shows to church together sometimes. Richard Nixon just enjoyed when with his friends taking alcohol. His wife Pat, on the other hand, was dealing with his problems whereby she drank and smoked too much such that she died of lungs cancer. Before his wife Pat died, they had stayed together for fifty years which was all a lie since Richard Nixon had no time for his wife. Machiavelli great warning to the leaders is avoided being too generous to their subjects since in all effects it is never in their ruler's favour. As such, people in power should be misers to accumulate sufficient funds enough to defend them from all foreign threats while avoiding burdening his people in the course. As such, leaders should guard themselves against being hated and despised and being miser is the only way to achieve this. It is safer for a leader to be feared than to be loved in case one is lacking. This is because friendship acquired at a cost rather than by nobility of character and greatness are never owned but instead purchased. Love is attached by a string of obligations which is broken at times in case self-interest entailed. However, fear is connected by an alarm of punishment which is never deserted. As such, a wise leader should capitalize on building his foundation upon only what belongs to him and not what belongs to others. Moreover, a wise prince should struggle to avoid hatred. Besides all neglects and alleged assaults, his wife Pat stood by him when everyone was against him and supported him during the period of humiliation after he resigned from the presidency (Reeves 70).

Conclusion

Richard Nixon deeds were in centrally the views of Machiavelli about the ideal prince. His leadership styles, his acts, and let-down to successfully control and manage people who were close to him breached what probably would or else be expected from a prince and a great leader. Leading the United States which has over forty states and with several leaders, his actions as a president were supposed to be exemplary. He defended his administration against mistakes. He had a hand into and also resigned at an hour when the people of U.S needed his intervention. Indeed, his resignation was tardy in consideration of his dissatisfying leadership by his citizens. There were regular demands for his impeachment from the Protestants owing to the fact he had triggered a lot of misery. Therefore, they lacked confidence in his leadership. Richard Nixon's party together with the political class disowned him.

Works cited

Archer, Jules. Watergate: A Story of Richard Nixon and the Shocking 1972 Scandal. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2015.

Nixon, Richard. No More Vietnams. Simon and Schuster, 2013.Reeves, Richard. President Nixon: Alone in the White House. Simon and Schuster, 2001.

Waldron, Lamar. Watergate: The hidden history: Nixon, the Mafia, and the CIA. Counterpoint Press, 2013.