4/28/11

Barack Obama—Mechavellian Prince?


Leadership is the ability one has to guide, direct and influence people on a larger scale. Through proper leadership, an individual can gain the power needed to be a dominant force within a community—city—state—or even a country. Throughout the decades, Niccolo Michiavelli’s pragmatic way of mind has demonstrated how a leader should run and maintain a state given the statue of power received once elected. Michiavelli’s political guidelines within The Prince, have been set into motion through the leadership of many countries primeministers and president over the years. Through a deeper analysis of Barack Obama’s message and methods in the 2011 State of the Union Address, the link between the leadership of a present day ruler and the advice given by Niccolo Machiavelli will be shown.

“Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions”

- Niccolo Michiavelli

Throughout The Prince, Michiavelli emphasizes on the importance of creating a fasaud for society. If a leader demonstrates acts of genorosity and creates a trust with his people, then there will always be people to love and fear him, despite what wrongdoings do occur. As well, Michiavelli stresses the importance of giving people their current needs, rather than looking far into the future. Thus, with a happy, trusting society, with a present mind-set there will always be people to manipulate and deceive in the future, right?

At stake right now is not who wins the next election -– after all, we just had an election. At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else. It’s whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It’s whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but the light to the world.”

- Barack Obama

Through the discussion of jobs in the United States, Barack Obama is certainly showing signs of being a Michivellian Prince. He is emphasizing the importance of the current job crisis in America, and feeding the American people with the idea that he will eradicate heightened unemployment rates within the country in the near future. By telling the people what they want to hear in the moment, Obama is building his trust with the people, which according to Michiavelli, will make the people easier to deceive in the future as well.

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.”

- Niccolo Michiavelli

Furthermore, in The Prince, Niccolo Michiavelli instills the concept that a country must always have it’s guard up against others. If countries are not fighting amongst one another, the country will be weak and at the disadvantage of others. This creates the idea of unision among the people and the ruler as they must be one to fight oppression. It is evident that a Prince must fight wars eventually, for if he doesn’t he will forfeit is power to other rulers.

“Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They’re investing in research and new technologies. Just recently, China became the home to the world’s largest private solar research facility, and the world’s fastest computer.”

- Barack Obama

This Mechiavellian ideal is clearly shown through Obama’s analysis of job opportunities within America. Obama stresses the need for more education in mathimatical and scientific sectors, as other countries are far more innovative then Americans. The Chinese stress the importance of education, thus resulting with a surging technologically innovative China. The world is in the midst of a technology race, and Americans are beginning to traipst behind. Obama is implementing the idea that if the US does not create proper educational programs, they will lose power through lack of education. He promotes the idea of new education programs within the US, unifying the states as a stronger, more-educated country. This creates the idea of unision among the people and the ruler and ultimately show that President Obama is fighting this war hands on, like a Prince should, according to Michiavelli.

Niccolo Michiavelli’s pragmatic way of mind has demonstrated how a leader should run and maintain a state given the statue of power received once elected. Furthermore, his political guidelines within The Prince, have shown how ideals such as the importance of love/fear fasaud and the idea of a unified state in regards to war will heighten the power of a leader. Through a deeper analysis of the 2011 State of the Union Address, the ideals of Michiavelli were shown through President Barack Obama His apparition of being a loving leader combined with his emphasis on the necessity of education whilst the world is in the midst of a technological arms race shows Obama’s place as a Prince. However, despite being a well-spoken, charming leader, one must recall,as Michiavelli once stated, “Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality.”

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