Plato-Machiavelli Comparison

Danielle Butler October 16, 2011 side of meat 101/ O. C 2-Machiavelli Though a good deal presented as two ideological opposites, in person I find there to be a lot more similarities in the midst of Plato and Machiavelli than usu altogethery ackat onceledged. Obviously there atomic number 18 some sharp contrasts. If unmatched examines the excerpts from Machiavellis The Prince and Platos The Republic, its piano to conclude that Plato believed it to be essential for a govern workforcet leader to be just, good, and necessitous from corruption.Whereas Machiavellis ideal ruler is less(prenominal)(prenominal) concerned active morality, and more active shrewdness, aw arness, and pragmatism.. That being said, ultimately both work force arrive to the same conclusion whole be it through different heart and soul that a rulers primordial objective is to create and maintain a unified, orderly, and controlled state, with a content population.When it comes to humanity, Machiavelli is con sidered pessimistic, due to his less than glowing expectations for the nature of man, as he clearly states For one can primarily say this about men that they argon ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain.. (46). While Machiavellis sight of men in habitual leaves belittled to be questioned, I find Platos generalized idealism to be utmostther more dubious. In the Republic, it appears that Platos optimisms about human nature, and capability does non bleed to everyone, asserting that legion(predicate) people are better off being rule by better men.In book 9 Socrates states to Glaucon Tharsymacus did in the case of subjects, that the slave should be governed by his own harm, further on the foundation that it is better to be governed by the prophesy and the intelligent preferably indwelling and his own, merely in default of that imposed from without, in order that we all so far as possible may be akin and friendly because our gover nance and focus are the same? (Plat. Rep. 9. 590d) Both Machiavelli and Plato withal recognize that generally, most people of the macrocosm are easily manipulated by their senses.Plato illustrates that in his allegory of the cave. Machiavelli makes it clear that he feels this shortcoming to be advantageous for the prince, and it should be exploited when need be, as he states he (the prince) should appear, upon seeing him and hearing him, to be all mercy, all faithfulness , all integrity, all configurationness, all religion. And there is zero more necessary than to seem to own this last quality. And men in general judge more by their eye than their hands for everyone can see exclusively few can feel. (49).While many may chide Machiavellis access as disingenuous and manipulative, which it plainly is, how often does this tactic differ from Platos suggestions? In the Republic, Plato suggests that society must be persuaded by a majestic lie to mix in the citizens and deepen their allegiance to their community as Socrates states How, then, said I, might we contriveone of those opportune falsehoodsof which we were just now speaking, so as by one noble lie to persuade if possible the rulers themselves, tho failing that the rest of the city? What kind of a fiction do you blotto? said he. Nothing unprecedented, said I, but a sort of Phoenician tale,something that has happened ere now in many parts of the world, as the poets aver and have induced men to believe, but that has not happened and perhaps would not be likely to happen in our dayand demanding no little mentation to make it believable.