Dr. Frank Kardasz, Ed.D. Editor: Ava Gozo.
April 26, 2015
INTRODUCTION
Discussions of police ethics training and cultural diversity
training would not be complete without a brief review of the Machiavellian
theory of political and social control. "Machiavellian"
is a term used to describe conduct or philosophy based on cynical beliefs
synonymous with deception and duplicity in management and statecraft (Business
Dictionary).
Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was at one time during his
life a member of the local Italian ruling class but he was not a highly
entitled king, prince or lord. His status and fortunes changed during his
lifetime when new leadership gained control in his home area of Florence. He was a diplomat, civil servant, and
philosopher who wrote "The Prince" in an apparent attempt to explain
how and why the Divine Right of Kings, accompanied by the occasional use of
extreme methods of social control, were acceptable social practices of the 16th
Century. Curiously, it is believed that Machiavelli
wrote "The Prince" partly for the purpose of gaining employment and favor with
the Medici regime which had just overthrown the previous government in Florence
(Nederman).
ETHICS AND CULTURE
Some of the controlling practices of authorities in modern
society can be associated with the philosophies described by Machiavelli. Modern police ethics training programs
sometimes use Machiavelli’s book as a reference source
towards understanding the sometimes contentious relationships between the government
and the governed.
In the context of modern cultural diversity training,
Machiavelli's work reminds us that prejudice and discrimination, then and now,
are not always based strictly upon racial, gender or religious affiliations. According to Machiavelli, powerful and
well-armed leaders are justified in using force, regulated only by the leaders
own sense of justice. Machiavelli's
advice does not discriminate according to racial, ethnic nor gender barriers;
for Machiavelli there are only the leaders (Kings and Princes) and those being
led (subjects and servants).
POPULISM DOES NOT INFLUENCE A "PRINCE"
Populist democracy in the United States is based upon the
rule of law, erstwhile knowing that there will always be lawbreakers who will
not comply. It then falls upon law enforcement
authorities to tactfully apply the laws and keep the peace. The U.S. Constitution provides guidelines outlining
the checks and balances between the three branches of government: legislative,
executive and judiciary. This arrangement is meant to also prevent abuses within
the branches; however this combination of controls does not always work
perfectly.
In a Machiavellian system, based upon an oligarchy instead
of populism, the controlling "Prince" may be the lawmaker, the
enforcer, and the adjudicator. Machiavelli's book, "The Prince" was
written in the 1500's at a time in Europe where leadership was most strongly
influenced by brute force; not by appeasing a populist democratic citizenry.
THE MACHIAVELLI LEADERSHIP MANUAL
"The Prince" is the 16th Century equivalent of a
strong-arm leadership training manual for new supervisors. The book provides surprising insight into some
of the logic of the ruling elite that may still exist among some world leaders
today. Throughout the book Machiavelli
cites leadership examples from historic rulers including Caesar, Hannibal,
Alexander the Great; Kings of Spain, France and Germany along with Biblical
characters and Christian Popes to provide supporting case studies of successes
and failures among various leadership styles.
Using his own interpretations of historical figures and case studies
Machiavelli writes for the purpose of providing recommendations to a newly-minted
prince and instructs the new leader about (sometimes nefarious) methods and
techniques that might be used to win over the hearts and minds of his subjects.
Some writers believe that Machiavelli’s philosophies
represent the beginning of the bridge between old-world thoughts about the
divine rights of kings and new world beliefs about democracy and cultural
pluralism. Other writers believe that
Machiavelli is the father of modern political thought (McCormick, 2012).
MACHIAVELLI'S RULES ARE NOT YOUR GRANDADDY’S GOLDEN ONES
The Golden Rule; "Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you" is not one of Machiavelli's basic tenets. Chapter XVII of The
Prince is titled: Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether it is Better to
be Loved than Feared. Machiavelli concludes:
Upon this a question arises:
whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be
answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite
them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two,
either must be dispensed with.
Machiavelli did not have a particularly optimistic view of
human nature. Concerning the nature of man he wrote (Chapter XVII):
Because this is to be asserted in
general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and
as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their
blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far
distant; but when it approaches they turn against you.
The Machiavellian approach led to the saying, "The ends
justify the means" wherein the rules governing a situation may be bypassed
in order to bring about a desired result (Philosophy & Philosophers, 2012).
CONCLUSION
Machiavelli's book "The Prince" is an insightful look into a
16th century political philosophy that still resonates today. Few of the Machiavellian control principles
would survive scrutiny through the contemporary lenses of the kinder and
gentler US Constitution, civil-rights laws, or public policy manuals but The
Prince is instructive because it provides insight into an entitlement mind-set
and the control orientation of a ruling elite.
REFERENCES
Business Dictionary. (2015). Machiavellian. Retrieved from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/Machiavellian.html#ixzz3YP0Wde4j
Marriott. W.K. (translator). Machiavelli, Nicolo, (1515).
The Prince. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/prince/prince.html#CHAPTER%20XXI
Nederman, C. (2014). Niccolo Machiavelli. The Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy Retrieved from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/machiavelli/
McCormick, J.P. (May, 2012). Niccolo Machiavelli. The
University of Chicago Department of Political Science. Working Paper Series. Retrieved
from http://political-science.uchicago.edu/faculty-workingpapers/McCormick%20-%20Niccolo%20Machiavelli.pdf
Philosophy & Philosophers. (April 23, 2012). End
Justifies the Means in Machiavelli's Philosophy. Philosophy & Philosophers.
Retrieved from http://www.the-philosophy.com/end-justifies-means
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