JIALIANG HE ENGL 102 04/24/2013 The Truth Is Not Always Good Niccolo Machiavelli, a man who knows the truth of political ethics, wrote his treatise into a book. The Prince, one of Machiavelli’s masterpieces, contains a number of maxims concerning politics, such as the qualities of the prince. By the saying that “the ends justify the means”, Machiavelli claimed that violence may be necessary for the successful stabilization of power and introduction of new legal institutions. Refer to political realism, Machiavelli was claiming a truth, and he made no disguise of his spurn to morality.
Based on the evil of human nature, Machiavelli advised the price to achieve the goals without regard to morality. However, the truth is not always useful and good for everyone. Even though Machiavelli wrote the truth for a monarchical prince in The Prince, throughout history, The Prince is not a good advice for ruling class and common people today. First, Machiavelli found the truth of political ethics according to his moral and ethical beliefs, but he did not develop the truth into a good side.
Since he claimed that force maybe used to eliminate political rivals, to coerce resistant populations, and to purge the community of other men strong enough of character to rule, who will inevitably attempt to replace the ruler, Machiavelli has become infamous for such political advice. By looking the armed clash in Syria today, force is not a good solution, and it can only cause injuries and deaths. The truth is not always good. On the contrary, most of the truths are ugly. Although Machiavelli advised the truth to the prince, he was evil because of telling the ugly truth.
However, The Prince is only a manual to acquiring and keeping political power for the Italian monarchical prince. It is a flattering book from Machiavelli. He never considers the negative effects of his treatise. Also, Machiavelli was never benefited from The Prince in the rest of his life. He did not fare well since he was suspected of crimes against the state and imprisoned. He was destroyed by the truth that he found. In fact, after 400 years of Machiavelli‘s death, The Prince was dedicated to Benito Mussolini as a gift.
Also, it became a reference book for Adolf Hitler. Moreover, the truth is not appropriate for everyone, and so is The Prince. For instance, from a prince’s duty concerning military matter in The Prince, Machiavelli states “A prince, therefore, must not have any other object nor any other thought nor must he take anything as his profession but war, its institutions, and its discipline”. That is not a good advice for the ruling class in most countries today. Look back at the failure of militarism in Japan, and also look at the nuclear crisis in North Korea.
These facts show that the truth is not always good. In conclusion, as Machiavelli found the truth of political ethics, he developed it negatively. He emphasizes that occasional need for the methodical exercise of brute force or deceit. Obviously, the truth from The Prince is not good for today’s world, which is in the pursuit for peace and development. The truth is always there, but the truth is not always good. A man of honor should always be justicial, and never commit to evils.
