Machiavelli endorsed immoral behavior, such as the use of deception and the murder of enemies, as

he thought that made a leader effective and thus more viable to survive in politics. 1

He also notably encouraged politicians to engage in evil when it would be necessary for political
expediency.2

The book gained notoriety due to claims that it teaches "evil recommendations to tyrants to help
them maintain their power".3

Scholars often note that Machiavelli glorifies instrumentality in state building, an approach embodied
by the saying, often attributed to interpretations of The Prince, "The ends justify the means".4

Machiavelli He is sometimes seen as the prototype of a modern empirical scientist, building

generalizations from experience and historical facts, and emphasizing the uselessness of theorizing
with the imagination.5

Niccolo Machiavelli was the first political thinker to differentiate

politics from morality. He was focused on reality and what needs
to be achieved rather than considering what was right or wrong. 6

Although Machiavelli said that cruelty could sometimes be justified he didn’t espouse
violence as such, preferring the concept of “necessity”. If something was necessary to
maintain a thriving nation, then certain acts were not only acceptable but desirable. 7

1
 Cassirer, Ernst (1946). The Myth of the State. Yale University Press. pp.  141–
145.  ISBN  9780300000368.  ernst cassirer the myth of the state.
2
Strauss, Leo; Cropsey, Joseph (15 June 2012). History of Political Philosophy. University of Chicago Press.
p. 297. ISBN 9780226924717.
3
 Giorgini, Giovanni (2013). "Five Hundred Years of Italian Scholarship on Machiavelli's Prince". Review of
Politics. 75 (4): 625–40. doi:10.1017/S0034670513000624.
4
 Machiavelli's Virtue
5
Fischer (2000)
6
https://medium.com/@SunilSharmaUK/niccolo-machiavelli-the-father-of-modern-politics-d9ed52a3456f Sunsil
Sharma, Nov 27, 2018, Niccolo Machiavelli, Father of Modern Politics
7
https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2020/03/21/the-machiavelli-measure-which-modern-
leaders-fit-the-definition-politics/ ‘Machiavellian’ is a term attached to any leader we see
as dangerous, but which modern nutcase actually fits the definition?
Parallelism of Machiavelli’s Thought In His Book Entitled “The Prince”
And The Philippine Politics In The Contemporary Time

ABSTRACT

The Parallelism between Niccolo Machiavelli’s book entitled “The Prince” and the
Philippine politics in the cotemporary time is really present and very noticeable. In this
paper, it shows where the parallelism rests and some possible recommendations in
order for the Philippine Politics to be reshaped from its present condition.

BACKGROUND

Niccolo Machiavelli is one of the many controversial and famous political thinkers
in the world. It can be describable that he is a very practical man. He is sometimes seen
as the prototype of a modern empirical scientist, building generalizations from
experience and historical facts, and emphasizing the uselessness of theorizing with the
imagination.8
It is also very controversial that he is inclined or promotes the use of violence and
terror to gain fear to the citizens and to preserve the glory in the country. He is known
by the phrase “The end justifies the means” which is the most common interpretation of
his book “the Prince”9
He notably encouraged the politicians to engage in evil or immoral acts when it
would be necessary for their political desires and for them to maintain the power in their
hand. 10
The political practices and some thoughts of Machiavelli which is being
mentioned above are very noticeable, widespread and rampant in the Philippine politics
especially in this contemporary time.
Many politicians especially during the time of elections are using their dirty tactics
and dirty techniques for them to be remained in power or to win in the said elections.
There are cases in which it is being broadcasted in some areas or places in the
Philippines in which there are election related or political related killings and death
threats.
It is not only during election periods in which this dirty tactics or evils ways in
which Machiavelli taught are being prevalent, even if they are already in their position.
They are continuously doing such immoral acts and evil ways for them to achieve and to
reach more their political selfish desire.
Machiavelli also differentiates politics from morality. For him, politics must not be
bounded by morality. What is good or evil in morality is not the same on what is good or
bad in politics. As what is being mentioned earlier, for him, the end justifies the means.
But in ethics or in morality, the end does not justify the means. Whatever the end might
be, if the means are wrong or evil, the action will still be evil. In this case, He was

8
Fischer (2000)
9
Machiavelli's Virtue
10
Strauss, Leo; Cropsey, Joseph (15 June 2012). History of Political Philosophy. University of Chicago
Press. p. 297. ISBN 9780226924717.
focused on the reality or what is being practical rather than considering what is right or
11
what is wrong.

MAIN PROBLEM AND ITS SUB-PROBLEM

In what aspect does Niccolo Machiavelli’s thought in his book “the Prince” and the
Philippine Politics in the Contemporary time become parallel to each other?

1. What are the characters that Filipino Politicians possess that is parallel to the
behavior in which Niccolo Machiavelli suggested in his book “the Prince”?
2. Does the Machiavellian style of politics good to apply in the Philippine context?
3.

11
Sunsil Sharma, Nov 27, 2018, Niccolo Machiavelli, Father of Modern Politics Retrieved at:
https://medium.com/@SunilSharmaUK/niccolo-machiavelli-the-father-of-modern-politics-d9ed52a3456f