Niccolo Machiavelli, one of the most respected individuals of the Italian Renaissance, spent much of a long and active life trying to figure out what qualities of a human being it really takes to become a good leader. Machiavelli discovered that some great characteristics of leaders that made them successful in war and peace were the concepts of religion, virtue, and peace. Machiavelli is commonly portrayed as the pessimist who sides with dictators. His name has become a common source for cruel leaders prepared to do anything to obtain or hold power and increase in wealth. He is also known for speaking about men having to enter into evil to become a great ruler. It is therefore surprising to know that Machiavelli would rather free states to authoritarian ones, and save the ridicule for the tyrants. The main goals that Machiavelli is trying to reach is to better advance the common good and make people understand the appropriate and rewarding use of power in a manner that contemporary leaders can understand.
Machiavelli believes that, along with an advanced military are advanced laws. The best government is the one that relies on the freedom of its citizens, which in turn requires freedom of religion. He bel
Peace must be enforced with strict rules. Peace isn’t a normal occurrence in our world, and moments of peace are often treaties signed after the result of a war. Since our enemies are inclined to do evil, we must win with valor and then impose virtue on our defeated enemies so that they can't do any more evil to us. It is true that Machiavelli believes in firm lessons toward religion and virtue by strict rules stating that they will “ make them believe by force” or “one who is wishing to keep his state is often forced to do evil.”
Machiavelli offers us the blueprint to the ideal leader that is built on religious values, peaceful negotiations and a virtuous persona. Many individuals view Machiavelli as a two-faced man because of statements regarding evil as a requirement of power. People have two very different views of Machiavelli. They either see him to have an evil dictator mindset and or they see a bold individual that is simply trying to state how a leader can strive with power while still maintaining moral sincerity. When one reads the great leadership writings of Machiavelli, they must have an open mind to the truth and put aside their egoistic beliefs for a moment. The leader today should all follow what Machiavelli once said; "nothing honors a man more than to establish new laws and new ordinances when he himself was newly risen. Such things when they are well founded and dignified will make him revered and admired."
Machiavelli uses the term virtue in many different ways, sometimes to mean power. He also uses virtue in the moral means of self worth, merit
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