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Final Research Paper
Niccolo Machiavelli
Sergio M Davila
HIST 711
Development of Western Freedoms
Liberty University
Professor Sean Turchin
October 5, 2025
Introduction
Niccolo Machiavelli was an interesting man. His ideas on how a ruler of a country should
hold on to power, especially political power, has influenced a great deal of dictators, particularly
in the 20th and 21rst centuries. He believed that a strong leader should do whatever it takes to
hold on to power. In doing that, he felt that it was essential for the success and survival of the
leader’s country to follow this way of life. One of his greatest quotes was, “It is better for a
leader to be feared, than loved, but must be careful not to be hated.1 Machiavelli reasoned that
a leader must use any means necessary to keep their stranglehold on power. Tactics such as
violence, deception, and manipulation are all acceptable methods. He also surmised that a
stoutr military is a must, for expanding territory and protecting the leader.2
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` He had a very puzzling idea of keeping liberty for the people, even with a dictator in
power. His theory was that liberty should be important for a well-functioning society, yet he felt
that it should be balanced against the common good. In other words, liberty shouldn’t threaten
the reign of the leader of any country. His theory concluded that only the king’s power would be
able to grant liberty. Which meant that people that bowed to the king were the only ones to
have the luxury of freedom and liberty. One thing is for certain, most who followed
Enlightenment thinkers knew that power should come from the people, not the other way
around. That being said, Machiavelli saw that in many cases, power is what leads politics.
Niccolo’s philosophy is the concept that plagues politics in the 21rst century.
1 Niccolò Machiavelli, Nicolo Machiavelli the Complete Collection: (4 Books) the Prince, the Art of War, the Discourses on Livy, History of
Florence (McAllister, 2017), p.47.
2 Machiavelli, N. (1970). Machiavelli: the history of Florence, and other selections. In Twayne Publishers eBooks.
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA00952552
One of the more positive ideas that came out of Machiavelli’s theories was his ideas on
how citizens should be involved in their home government. This involvement in government is
very reminiscent of modern republicanism with the people being involved in civic duties, active
citizenship, and public service. One thing that is for certain, the people must eschew their
personal interests secondary for the good of the state.3
Another idea that Machiavelli forwarded was that leaders shouldn’t be governed by
their ethics or supposed morals. They should be judged by their effectiveness for staying in
power. While Machiavelli believed leaders should be strong, he also felt that there should be
checks and balances for leaders, so they don’t run amok and become hated dictators. What is
surprising about his theory here is that he believed that the rule of law was needed to make
sure the people under a strong leader have a fair set of rules to live by. While justice must be
real, true strong leaders must do what it takes to never veer away from gaining more power. His
input to the way republicanism is today has been compelling, to say the least, and his theories
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continue to shape the way today’s leaders in Russia, the USA, North Korea, and China run their
countries.4
In his tome, The Prince, Machiavelli surmised that all leaders who strive to keep their
station as the leader of a country should do what it takes to keep that power, even through lying
and uses of force. Doing whatever it takes to subjugate the people is also not frowned upon.
Another issue at hand here is that he recognizes that things can change quick. Leaders that
follow Machiavelli’s ideas should adapt to survive. He should never latch on to just one method
or ideology. He must change with the times.5
.
3. Mccormick, John P. Machiavellian Democracy. New York ; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
4. Machiavelli, Niccolò. Art of War. Translated by Christopher Lynch. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003.
5. Machiavelli, N., & Mansfield, H. C., Jr. (1998). The Prince. University of Chicago Press
What is no surprise is that Machiavelli was very sure that liberty is not natural. Human
endeavor seemed to be a weak product of liberty. He was of the opinion that people are selfish
and have an innate desire to be in control and crave power. These desires can and will lead to
loggerheads over territory and influence. It’s up to your powerful leader to take hold of the
situations that lead to conflict. The king’s people must also do what it takes to help prevent
conflicts with other countries or city-states. Machiavelli is of the belief that folks must be ready
to give up their liberty for the good of their fearless leader. He has stated that, “The only way to
secure one’s liberty is to place it in the hands of the government”.6
What really molded Machiavelli’s theories a reality were his experiences of being under
the Medici family in Italy. Niccolo witnessed firsthand at how infighting and shifting alliances
between the city-states turned that family into a paper tiger. The missing organized strong
centralized government in the Medici family was a major weakness according to him and was a
big reason for their downfall. This disorganized way of running things led to chaos and
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unneeded drama, which led to a splintered Italy. Machiavelli is quoted as saying, “A united Italy
would be more secure and more prosperous than Italy divided into small principalities”7
One thing that can be said about his views on liberty is that they were not accepted by
everyone back in his time and it is safe to say that his views are seen as precarious at best today.
While many leaders in countries such as Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Belarus, and the United States
may subscribe to Niccolo Machiavelli’s way of leadership, the majority of civilized society find
his way of leadership abhorrent and un-democratic. Many critics have decried his view on
politics as nothing more than cynicism that values power over ethics and morality. Many have
6 Machiavelli, N., Mansfield, H. C., & Tarcov, N. (2021). Discourses on Livy. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA41214406
7 Machiavelli, N. (2008). On the Art of War. Waking Lion Press.
argued that his ideas are just the product of his environment. That being said, his ideas have
fueled the advent of dictators from his time in the 1500s all the way to the 21rst century.
In summary, Niccolo Machiavelli did believe that liberty is one of the cornerstones of a
great society. That being said, the people’s liberties must take a back seat for the good of the
nation sometimes. Plus, a strong, ruthless leader may be what needs to be had in order to
maintain order throughout the country. He also believed that the people should do what it
takes to be involved in the civics of the country, participating in whatever capacity they can.
While he felt that the republican form of government is the ideal government for all, he also
felt that they could easily fall victim to becoming corrupt and crooked. This leads to leaders
relying on their military too much. While it helps with the strong-arming of maintaining
liberty, Machiavelli has warned that leaders may rely on mercenaries or enable generals to
gain too much power.
REFERENCES
Niccolò Machiavelli, Nicolo Machiavelli the Complete Collection: (4 Books) the Prince, the
N i c c o l o M a c h i a v e l l i P a g e | 5
Art of War, the Discourses on Livy, History of Florence (McAllister, 2017), p.47.
Machiavelli, N. (1970). Machiavelli: the history of Florence, and other selections. In Twayne
Publishers eBooks. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA00952552
Mccormick, John P. Machiavellian Democracy. New York ; Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2011.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. Art of War. Translated by Christopher Lynch. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2003.
Machiavelli, N., & Mansfield, H. C., Jr. (1998). The Prince. University of Chicago Press
Machiavelli, N., Mansfield, H. C., & Tarcov, N. (2021). Discourses on Livy.
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA41214406
Machiavelli, N. (2008). On the Art of War. Waking Lion Press.
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