MStack+Discussion

I believe Machiavelli’s principles are still relevant in today’s society. Many of these principles even shaped the nation in which we have become. One major theme by which the country was crafted was freedom. Machiavelli’s principle that freedom creates a successful environment is especially true in the United States. One famous quote by Thomas Jefferson is “All men are created equal” this quote was the foundation to many American theologies and the base for the end of slavery. In today’s society there is freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and many more freedoms. (Source A)



Another principle that shows up in today’s society is the principle of ruling by fear. Machiavelli believes that a ruler must be feared in order to be a successful. This principle shows up in our nation's history with the Nullification Crisis in South Carolina during Andrew Jackson's presidency. "In late February, Congress passed the Force Bill, which authorized President Jackson to use military force against South Carolina. The South Carolina convention reconvened and repealed its tariff Nullification Ordinance on March 11, 1833. “In a purely symbolic gesture”, the convention then nullified the Force Bill." South Carolina wanted to nullify a federal law tariff law, and was threatened with military force by Andrew Jackson if they carried out the nullification. (Source B)



A principle that the United States presidents have particularly based their presidency on is in setting goals similar to goals of previous rulers. Since the Constitution was crafted and the first president, George Washington took rule, the next president has set goals like the previous ruler. If the ruler achieves the goals, he will be loved and appreciated by the people”, if he fails, “he will still be recognized for his efforts and he will be thought of as a strong and ambitious leader.” Machiavelli also believed that the goals of a leader would set the foundation for their rule, which is a very important concept, because a leader needs to set goals and try to fulfill them. In modern society, President George W. Bush's goals in the Iraq War were used in his election campaign in 2004. This use of war campaigning can be compared to Richard Nixon's Vietnam War campaigning in the 1968 presidential election. (Source C)

Bibliography:

Source A Mount, Steve. "The United States Constitution." The U.S. Constitution Online. 31 Jul 2007. 8 Dec 2007 .

Source B "Nullification Crisis." Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007. Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007 .

Source C "United States Presidential Election, 1968." Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007. Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007 .