Machieavilli
Perhaps two of the most inspirational and influential writers of all time are Lao-Tzu and Niccolo Machiavelli. Even with their drastic opposing viewpoints, they still manage to agree on some matters. In Lao-Tzu's Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching, Lao-Tzu discusses his views on human nature; he believes that people are naturally good and continues throughout his essay to give contradictory statements to philosophically back up his beliefs. His beliefs are the exact opposite of Machiavelli's; Machiavelli believes people are naturally bad and has a more realistic viewpoint that he backs up with actual facts and references. Machiavelli and Lao-Tzu both believed a leader should be feared rather than loved whenever love is not possible, disagree on the use of weapons and war tactics, and wrote how-to books describing how a leader should govern and act. " Best is a leader who is loved./ Next, one who is feared./ The worst is one who is despised.(Lao-Tzu 22)." Like Machiavelli, Lao-Tzu believes that being despised is not a trait a leader should possess. This quote also states that Lao-Tzu thinks that being loved is the best but if that is not possible, then being feared is acceptable. The previous quote recognizes Lao-Tzu's belief of hum
Machiavelli is the more realistic thinker when it comes to war because it is irrational to not prepare yourself; it is almost suicide. Aside from their time differences, Machiavelli and Lao-Tzu wrote in completely different parts of the world that are culturally as different as night and day. The two were genius writers using different methods that captured the mind, made it think, and then made it believe in what was written. Machiavelli's view portrays his realistic viewpoint and almost cynical leadership qualities. Even though both are how-to books, Lao-Tzu wrote his far before Machiavelli, in sixth century B. " Machiavelli suggests from this quote that a leader or "prince" must not be considered hated and furthermore goes on to imply that being despised is the worst possible thing a leader can do; Lao-Tzu shares this opinion in his previous quote. Machiavelli's The Prince is a basic how-to book on how to be a strong and successful prince, as is Lao-Tzu's Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching. When another country has more power than their own, the people will "despise" their being "disarmed" and even come to fear being unprotected. Machiavelli goes on to write : " a prince must guard himself against being despised and hated (Machiavelli 43). " There is no greater illusion that fear,/ no greater wrong that preparing to defend yourself,/ no greater misfortune that having an enemy ( Lao-Tzu 26). He believes that a "decent" man would look at weapons in disgust and avoid using and being around them all together. It is nice in theory but there will always be those who are going to be out to get another and those who wish harm upon others; and that is when the weapons play a key role in survival.
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Acceptance Essays
