Roles in Leadership: Machiavelli and Martin Luther
Machiavelli and Luther have different outlooks on leadership. Martin Luther emphasizes spiritual leadership. On the other hand, Machiavelli tells us that the leader should use force but at the same time understand that the people know who their leader is and to achieve and maintain rule of a society. In Luther's work, On Christian Liberty, he shows that faith has to be strong within human life or else they are lost:"Now when a man has learned through the commandments to recognize his helplessness and is distressed about how he might satisfy the law-since the law must be fulfilled so that now a jot or tittle shall be lost, otherwise man will be condemned without hope-then, being truly humbled and reduced to nothing in his won eyes, he finds himself nothing whereby he may be justified and saved." (12)Luther explains to us that without following faith, you can't be saved and will not be safe without following Christ. Even though they follow rules like the commandments, Luther tells us that one is lost and weak without faith as its belief system. Machiavelli's approach to leadership is more of a hierarchy instead of through faith like Martin Luther. Machiavelli goes on to say about how to maintain power as a prince.
Machiavelli showed that a prince needs to be cruel but be able to control and maintain his power. "Therefore it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to begot and to use this knowledge and not use it, according to the necessity at the case" (84). In order to maintain that hierarchy, Machiavelli says that you have to be cruel at certain times to maintain that leadership of the kingdom. Machiavelli mentions that princes get either praised or blamed for their actions. "If you wish to fulfill the law and not covet, as the law demands, come, believe in Christ in whom grace, righteousness, peace, liberty, and all things are promised you. " (77) Luther clearly despises a person that don't follow with Luther in faith and that makes them ungodly. Morals are based through faith as well and Luther seems to think that a lot of people don't base it around Christ and that's why his opponents are ungodly. If you believe, you shall have all things; if you do not believe, you shall lack all things" (13). With Luther's influence in Christ hierarchy to Machiavelli prince kingdom where family takes control of the kingdom. "I state that all men, and especially princes, who are placed at a greater height, are reputed for certain qualities which bring them either praise or blame" (84). Whereas Martin Luther believes that people should follow faith and that those who betray or question will suffer, almost not giving them a chance to question the authority or the leader. "I have to be sure, sharply attacked ungodly doctrines in general, and I have snapped at my opponents, not because of their bad morals, but because of their ungodliness. Both stated the facts and from my perspective I feel as though both hierarchy's make sense but are on a different plane. In the kingdom of God, that man good or evil is pointed out and shown to God in that way. Machiavelli teaches that a prince cannot be good for a period of time or it will backfire on him and the people will rebel.
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