Machiavelli’s subjects

Machiavellianism is a personality trait describing a manipulative individual who deceives and tricks others to achieve his goals. In the field of personality psychology, Machiavellianism is a personality trait centered on manipulativeness, callousness, and indifference to morality. Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulation and exploitation of others, an absence of morality, unemotional callousness, and a higher level of self-interest. It is based on the political philosophy of the 16th-century Italian Renaissance writer Niccolò Machiavelli. After his exile from political life in 1512, Machiavelli took to a life of writing, which led to the publishing of his most famous work, The Prince. The book would become infamous for its recommendations for rulers to be ready to act in unscrupulous ways, such as resorting to fraud and treachery, elimination of political opponents, and the usage of fear as a means of controlling subjects. He has become infamous for this advice, so much so that the adjective Machiavellian would later on describe a type of politics that is marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority. The adjective Machiavellian means a total lack of conscience.

Machiavelli encourages leaders to lie, manipulate and use coercive persuasion to serve their own needs. Machiavellian leaders manipulate and undermine others using cunning and duplicitous methods. They actively work at being viewed as ingratiating towards others – only being nice in hopes of gaining something in return – so that they are not seen as a threat. His opinion of human nature is very low. According to him, people are fundamentally self-interested and unreliable. To him, men are quick to change the ruler when they imagine they can improve their lot. They are stupid and irrational, incapable of knowing what is actually best for them.
Machiavelli outlines his vision of an ideal leader as an amoral, calculating tyrant for whom the end justifies the means. He says that everyone sees what you appear to be and only a few experience what you really are. The slogan most associated with Machiavelli, of course, is “the ends justify the means.” According to him, it is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. He is the kind of man who says, “If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.” Machiavellians are sly, deceptive, distrusting, and manipulative. They are characterized by cynical and distrustful beliefs, callousness, a striving for money, power, and status, and the use of cunning influence tactics. They are arrogant and consider themselves to be superior to others. Niccolò Machiavelli is deemed to be the representative par excellence of the lack of morality and ethics in politics. The theory that “the end justifies the means” encapsulates his political and moral thought.

While Machiavelli wrote The Prince in the early 16th century, his political philosophy is still very much relevant today. We have so many Machiavellian leaders among us today, each trying to outdo the other. And we, the people, are so used to being ruled by Machiavellians that we no longer recognize them. As (rightly?) pointed out by Machiavelli, we are stupid and irrational, incapable of knowing what is actually best for us.