Five hundred years ago, Niccolò Machiavelli wrote extensively about the effective traits of successful political leaders and the organizational structure of the State that enhances stability and longevity. He was the first to observe and analyze political behavior without the taint of religious values, ethics, or morality. Because Machiavelli described political behavior as it existed rather than describing ideals that weren't observed in practice, he is considered the father of modern political science. Machiavelli observed, studied, and wrote about political behavior as a unique phenomenon.
Machiavelli separated politics from morality and ethics because he considered survival of the State to be a paramount value. If required to preserve the State, Machiavelli believed a leader must be willing and able to resort to behavior that others might consider unethical or immoral. The concept that the end justifies the means originated with Machiavelli's political theories that focused on the preservation of the sovereignty of the State.
The presumption by Machiavelli that preservation of the State is the ultimate priority and condoning any behavior necessary to achieve that goal was an affront to the existing view of virtue in the sixteenth century. Aristotle identified prudence, justice, temperance, and courage as the cornerstone virtues that make a person both good and happy. A virtuous person chooses virtuous action for its own sake in the world described by Aristotle. However, Machiavelli detected none of Aristotle's virtues when observing political behavior. Machiavelli simply described what he observed, thus giving birth to the concept of realpolitik.
Machiavelli described the then secret world of political ethics. His aim wasn't to replace God, or an existing code of ethics, with a new world order that elevates the importance of a sovereign State because that change, although shrouded in mystery, had already occurred. Machiavelli simply gave an honest account of the political behavior he observed.
Some historians argue that Machiavellian principles lead to autocratic and perhaps evil dictators ascending to power. Adolph Hitler and Josef Stalin were both students of Machiavelli. However, not all students excel in understanding what is taught. The Third Reich of Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics no longer exist. The preservation of the State is the paramount value according to Machiavelli. Accordingly, if Hitler and Stalin studied Machiavelli, they failed to learn the most important lesson.
The United States of America was organized in conformity with the principles that Machiavelli associated with stability and longevity. The two American Presidents responsible for preserving the sovereignty of our republic in its greatest moments of peril were Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. They are also the most successful practitioners of Machiavellian principles in history.
President Roosevelt had a plan for American hegemony that was conceived in the best tradition of Machiavellian strategy. However, Roosevelt died just as Pax Americana ("the American Peace") began. A period of relative peace has existed in the world since the end of the Second World War because of the world order conceived by Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Pax Americana is now threatened primarily because of a failure of effective leadership by the five American Presidents elected to that highest of offices beginning in 1992, all of whom either didn't study Machiavelli or failed to learn the essential lessons. Or perhaps none were qualified to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States.
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