Machiavelli-the prophet of politics

God morning, evening and goodnight deniers of ignorance.

Now many of you will be aware of Nicollo Machiavelli, A writer and 'philosopher' who had some rather bleak and devilish thoughts on how to rule a city state. Now this was revolutionary-but for all the wrong reasons.

Now for you folk not familiar with Machiavelli he pretty much believed that the common nine to five citizens were not smart enough to make decisions for themselves so politicians played on their fears-like a sheep dog among sheep-to get elected and as Machiavelli said "A Prudent ruler cannot and must not honor his word." Now does that remind you of anyone of anything?

"I will build a wall and make the Mexicans pay for it."

Where is the wall? where is the Mexican funding? that is only the tip of the iceberg. Trump played on the fears or as Machiavelli called it 'the self preservation' of the masses to get elected, because it's a means to an end, and speaking of means to an end that takes us back to a itty bitty scandal called Watergate. Nixon did whatever he could to get elected, but did he do it for the people? no-he did it for the privileges, as has Trump. And now we have evidence of Russian bots trying to influence the latest US election-means to an end. Now let's turn to Russian politics and their poison fetish, they eradicate any detractors via poison, imprisonment (free pussy riot comes to mind) to possible vote rigging-That's Machiavellian with a capital M.

Just like Einstein has his crystal ball when it came to gravitational waves, Machiavelli had his own when it came to politics. Our politicians now obfuscate to the point of silliness (try getting a simple yes or no answer) They constantly back flip on policies (read the first quote again) and other factors like accusations of fake news or sex scandals-It's all Machiavellian.

I certainly hope that The Prince is not study material for aspiring politicians because look at the influence he has had on modern politicians.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Since you mentioned trump and Machiavelli and Russian collusion ( I don't know how that thought train started) But let me ask you this. Would Russia have interfered in the election if trump was not the candidate?

And all politicians play on the fears to get elected. That's what most political ads are about. I don't see how trump is a special case for that.

a reply to: American-philosopher

I don't recall Trump being a special case-he is guilty of Machiavellianism but that's not a crime, but unlike Nixon he didn't leave the 'fingerprints' at the crime scene.

I'm merely saying that Machiavelli had gazed into the crystal ball and may have predicted the current state of political affairs, and both sides are equally guilty of subversion.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Machiavelli is great. What turned me on to him was reading the 48 laws of power in high school. If you haven't read it yet, check it out. Every law is explained through events and lessons from history, so it's basically one long super-interesting history lesson about the nature of power.

Once you recognize that the same game has been played for centuries using the same rules, you see everything that's currently happening exactly as it is.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I’m not sure if predicting there will be no wall is a good idea given the term is not over.

Calling a politician Machiavellian assumes some amount of bad faith, self seeking and self-aggrandizement. The example you provided, because it is suspiciously absent any evidence to the contrary, is itself an act of bad faith, or ignorance, one or the other.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
God morning, evening and goodnight deniers of ignorance.


Now for you folk not familiar with Machiavelli he pretty much believed that the common nine to five citizens were not smart enough to make decisions for themselves so politicians played on their fears-like a sheep dog among sheep-to get elected and as Machiavelli said "A Prudent ruler cannot and must not honor his word." Now does that remind you of anyone of anything?

.

Interesting, I can find no such quote and you provide no citation either so I must assume that you (or your source) are paraphrasing

I was able to find some secondary sources for a similar idea. I wrote an extensive apology for Machiavelli in College and taking specific quotes from The Prince is dangerous as the context is all important with his writings.

a reply to: FyreByrd

With regard to #45: taken out of context....

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
― Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince

www.goodreads.com...

You must remember the times and that Niccolo was courting the favor of a Patron, namely one Lorenzo de' Medici.

and, academically, is seen as

Equal parts self-help book and how-to guide for a would-be ruler, these manuals were rather quaint and formulaic simplifications of the complexities of governance.

Machiavelli shifted the focus of political theory from the abstract discussion of virtue and justice to an objective analysis of the machinations of governance.

www.college.columbia.edu...

Machiavelli was original but hardy objective. What may have been appropriate (and that is debatable) in medieval Europe is hardly applicable in a modern western Republic.