Zarah C.

Abu

11233958

GREATWK

C39

GREATWK Machiavelli: Final Paper

Without a doubt, power will always be associated to evilness. No matter how a person
uses it and regardless of what the intention is, it is highly likely to have a tendency of losing
control over power. Instead of a person controlling power, when he/she acquires it, the opposite
happens. Power will control a person. A person who would enjoy power would want to keep it
forever but this is impossible. Power has its limitations and if someone goes or wants to go
beyond the bounds of it, thats when evil comes in. Power would be used more for a persons
own advantage than for the good of the people. Selfish intentions of a person with authority or
power would not lead to the betterment of a country. This is why I dont think the Philippines
needs a Machiavellian as its leader.
As a resident of the Philippines, I can say that the government has never been good well
at least for the past 19 years that Ive been existing. Philippine politicians are so corrupt and
theres barely any money that goes to the funds for developing the country. There are too many
flaws and there are too many things that could have been done to improve the Philippines,
enough to say that the government is a bad one. As for the people, most of the Filipinos get so
caught up with the bad politicians because they blind them with money and goods. Candidates
use the Machiavellian technique to be able to grasp power they hide their true intention and
they show their concern towards the people but when they achieve power, they dont really know
how to keep it. Unlike what the teachings of Machiavelli are, Filipino politicians are not very
discreet with their intentions and they tend to be disclosed easily. People start to hate them and
they then lose their power. Even in the concept of fear and love. Filipino politicians dont know
how to use fear to keep their power. No Filipino is scared enough of any politician today to be
able to see him as powerful.
When we hear the word virtu, we automatically think its the same as the English word
virtue. As much as it looks the same with the word virtue, it doesnt actually connote morality.
Virtu doesnt have an exact English translation. It is a concept that cannot be explained by one
word. It is generated by Niccolo Machiavelli and it is one of the main ideas in his book about
keeping power, the Prince. Virtu describes the ability of a person with authority to do the things
needed to do to attain success. It is manifested multiple times in The Prince. One is in chapter 6.
Machiavelli states in the 6th chapter, But to touch on those who became princes because of their
virtu and not because of fortune, I submit that the most outstanding men are those such as Moses,
Cyrus, Romulus, and Theseus. In this illustration, Machiavelli shows that fortune and virtu
work together although they are opposites. In his words, Without this opportunity, the virtu of
their spirit would have been quenched; without that virtu, the opportunity would have come in
vain, he stresses that without an opportunity, virtu, if there is, is wasted and without virtu,
opportunity is also wasted. Romulus, according to Machiavelli, became King of Rome by the
virtu of choosing to remain in Alba and the fortune/opportunity of being abandoned at birth. The

same goes with Cyrus and Theseus. Machiavelli says it was necessary for Cyrus to find the
people who were not contented with Medes government and he also says that Theseus could
have not been able to show his virtu if he didnt find the scattered Athenians. He mentions that
even though he admires Moses for the grace that made it possible for him to converse with God,
he must not be considered since he only did what God wanted him to do. But still, according to
Machiavelli, Moses was able to lead because of virtu by finding the Israelites in Egypt to follow
him and let them escape from slavery.
A Machiavellian leader should have a good relationship with the different sectors of
society. It is a key factor in maintaining power. Regardless of the intention, a Machiavellian
leader must keep a good reputation in order for people to give him power and in order for him to
maintain power. He must show humility because people never like arrogance. A Machiavellian
leader must learn how to be loved by the members of a society. Although Machiavelli prefers to
be feared than to be loved, still, it is a way to keep power.