Machiavelli: Politics, Power, and Morality

The Political Philosophy of Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli, the foremost political thinker of the Renaissance, inaugurated modern political science by dealing with the practical affairs of the state. He was a hands-on politician, more interested in intervening in the governance of his state than in abstract theorizing. However, he knew that any goal-oriented action must be guided by theoretical principles.

These principles are outlined in his two most famous works, The Prince and Discourses on Livy, which serve as a guide for rulers. This approach posits that the ultimate goal of politics is to preserve the unity and identity of the community. The general rule is that every city tends toward the degeneration and corruption of its institutions and people. Therefore, the objective of any good leader should be to strive to maintain order.

This necessity arises from the nature of human beings, which makes them act in a fairly predictable manner despite possessing free will. Machiavelli notes that humans are selfish, driven by fear when their needs are not met and by ambition when they are. To ensure the safety of the community's members, laws must be made that compel them to consider the common good.

The Ends and the Means

The great innovation in Machiavelli's political focus was his claim that to achieve the purpose of politics—namely, to ensure the survival and welfare of the community—immoral means can be used whenever necessary and effective. This idea is often summarized in the ambiguous maxim: "the end justifies the means."

This justifies the use of immoral means because the results are what count and what people are judged by. It is only necessary to employ such methods in extraordinary situations where politics should not take morality into account, ensuring that policy is not subordinated to ethics. The politician must place the welfare of the community above that of any of its individuals, as there can be no morality outside of a free and egalitarian community.

Key Separations in Machiavellian Thought

In short, Machiavelli's philosophy introduces several crucial separations:

• Politics from Ethics: He argues that politics has its own laws and pursues the common good, independent of traditional moral constraints.
• Politics from Individual Power: The law is positioned above any single tyrant, ruler, or individual. Tyranny or absolutism is seen merely as a transitional stage toward building a free state.
• Politics from Religion: He establishes a clear distinction between political and religious power, creating a secular field for politics.