Comparing Machiavelli And Plato s The Republic

One of the longest standing arguments in history is focused along the lines of the role of power in government. Who should be granted this power, and how should one elect a leader to be given such an immense responsibility. Often times, another conflict emerges attempting to distinguish the exact role a government must serve, however this argument is placed between the crossfire of human’s need for individual freedoms and liberties yet their desire for structure and some form of order. Two powerful voices in this debate are those of Niccolo Machiavelli and Plato, separated by hundreds of years in history the two men had differing views on the role of the government’s influence on its people. Machiavelli expresses his idea of the correct form of government in both â€Å"The Prince† and â€Å"The Discourses† in which he preaches that a government must stand strong in order for the people below it to flourish. Meanwhile Plato’s notorious â€Å"The Rep ublic† takes a different stance and pushes the idea that the government can give an illusion of freedom by maintaining a specific structure. Obviously one cannot manage a republic without some form of class structure and both men are given the opportunity to portray their thoughts on the role of what one might call the lower class. Although Machiavelli and Plato disagree on complex roles surrounding the exact duties of the lower classes, one thing is certain, through textual evidence they both seem to believe that it is crucial that the mostShow MoreRelated Comparing Machiavellis The Prince and Platos The Republic Essay1790 Words   |  8 PagesComparing Machiavellis The Prince and Platos The Republic  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Many people in history have written about ideal rulers and states and how to maintain them.   Perhaps the most talked about and compared are Machiavellis, The Prince and Platos, The Republic.   Machiavelli lived at a time when Italy was suffering from its political destruction.   The Prince, was written to describe the ways by which a leader may gain and maintain power. In Plato?s The Republic, he unravels the definition of justiceRead MoreHow Does Machiavelli Bring Us From A Medieval View Of Politics Of Power And Interests?1402 Words   |  6 Pagesobservations made of Greek city-states. When comparing these two influential men we should entertain the question, â€Å"would you rather be loved or feared?† Is it possible to have a fully functioning republic without fear of the consequences of disobeying laws and government? Political scientist Aristotle provided excellent work and ideas but I dub incomplete without the added works of Niccolo Machiavelli. Fur thering this discussion, what is the new road Machiavelli sets out on, how does he differ/compareRead MoreTheories of Organizational Behavior10512 Words   |  43 Pagesaccording to Simms (1994) to revitalize organizational theory and develop a better conceptualization of organizational life. Classical School The Greek philosopher Plato wrote about the essence of leadership. Aristotle addressed the topic of persuasive communication. The writings of 16th century Italian philosopher Machiavelli laid the foundation for contemporary work on organizational power and politics. In 1776, Adam Smith advocated a new form of organizational structure based on the divisionRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore