Machiavelli’s The Prince Examples of Machiavellian...

Arguably, the most Machiavellian leader to ever exist would be Joseph Stalin. He abided by three major Machiavellian methods that were stated in the Prince: the ends justifies the means, crush any opposition, and displaying a false character. Stalin had a plan for Russia and did everything in his power to achieve that plan. He wanted to transform Russia into a industrial superpower, a military superpower, and a political superpower. To achieve his goals he committed many horrible crimes against humanity. To be more specific, Stalin killed more than sixty million people during his reign. He was a selfish cold-blooded, heart less, and evil leader; human life was nothing to him. What caused him to develop such evil traits? It all started†¦show more content†¦This strategy disposed Stalin of any political opposition, which helped him sustain his power. Another major method that Stalin used to maintain his power was the use of propaganda to portray himself as a benevolent father figure. While at the same time he was committing mass murder. In Ukraine alone he killed ten million people in only two years! Many historians agree that Stalin killed over sixty million people. Why did he kill so much people? This can be traced back to Machiavelli’s The Prince. As discussed before, The Prince teaches that a ruler should have the fear of the people. Stalin slaughtered so many people to prevent any opposition to his reign. He eliminated all the strong people, both the intellectual and physical; therefore the few left would be too afraid and too weak, physically and mentally, to resist. Stalin did exactly what Machiavelli stated in the Prince, which was also stated above, â€Å" And here it has to be noted that men must be either pampered or crushed, because they can get revenge fore small injuries but not fore grievous ones.† Stalin stated â€Å" Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problem.†, â€Å" Gratitude is a sickness suffe red by dogs.†, and â€Å" I trust no one, not even myself.† As it can be clearly seen, Joseph Stalin epitomises most of Machiavelli’s beliefs that are stated in The Prince. Therefore, Stalin can be consider Machiavelli’s ideal prince. Finally, the last example of a pastShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli1314 Words   |  6 PagesMACHIAVELLI’S LIVED WORLD: SETTING CONTEXT Niccolà ² Machiavelli’s The Prince was written in a time of political and civil unrest in Italy. For decades the city-state of Florence suffered several political uprisings and the establishment of new governments. From tyrannical rule to the creation of a democratic republic, and finally the re-establishment of the Medici family, The Prince comes from Machiavelli’s lived experiences in these political regimes. 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This is a ruler who uses anything and anyone that is within his power to get into power and to keep the power. This is not all that entails a Machiavellian ruler. Other characteristics such as good fortunes, wisdom and bravery all come into play. Nonetheless, it is the wickedness in a Machiavellian ruler that is reflected in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet through King Claudius. King Claudius, is a classic example of the type o f ruler Machiavelli discusses in