Subjects:
Many old pieces of literature have influenced the way people think today. The Prince, written by Niccolò Machiavelli, was written as a “how-to” manual for a new prince. In it, Machiavelli makes extensive reference to the leadership styles, successes, and failures of historical figures. The term “prince” was used as a metaphor for any public official. Even though not all leaders of today have read The Prince, many follow Machiavelli’s guidelines without knowing it. This is due to the fact that history does repeat itself and Machiavelli’s observations of successful leaders of the past still hold true in the modern world.
I have chosen to focus on the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and assess his success as a leader according to Machiavelli’s ‘handbook’. According to Pardo Llada (in Quirk, 1993), The Prince was one of Castro’s favourite works, and from it, he “learned to justify everything”.
In Chapter 12 Machiavelli addresses the issue of the type of people a successful ‘prince’s’ army should be made up of. He soundly criticises the use of mercenary armies. He describes mercenaries as “useless and dangerous”. Fidel Castro’s men were originally rebels who believed in
. . .
Above all, he has always been the perfect Machiavellian, naturally mastering every technique of political, physical and (above all) psychological control over the Cuban people. It is true that keeping promises in some cases may be good for people but harmful for the prince. In return, the “impetuous prince” took over every American business in Cuba and strengthened ties with the Soviet Union. This loyalty and passion for a cause is in stark contrast to Machiavelli’s description of mercenaries as being “disunited…without discipline, disloyal”, and having “no other love nor motive to keep them in the field than a meagre wage”. The statement that “the ends justify the means” summarizes much of what Machiavelli asserts in The Prince. As ‘fortune’ would have it, in the early 60’s, Cuba started to depend heavily on the USSR for economic support. It is about application of power in the pursuit a greater goal. The fox represents a person knowing when he should keep the promises, and how to break his promises when it is necessary to do so. To be a good prince, he does not have to be a good person who is honest, merciful, faithful, humane and forthright. This is because if a leader is always honest and compassionate, others will not be because of human nature. The “lion” power will help to protect the prince and give him chances to use the “fox” shrewdness. Furthermore, taking shrewd actions are more important than keeping promises.
Essay's Topics
All research is for reference purposes only.