Humanities II week one - Essay Example

His explanation is "If all men were good this precept would not be a good one but as they are bad and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them” (Cunningham, & Reich, 2010, p.290). At present, I believe that there are Machiavellian politicians today and they are Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte. Adolf Hitler is a Machiavellian politician, because he criticized the role of the Church in society. It is unclear what Hitler’s religion is, though in principle, he admired Christian heritage, German Christian culture, and an Aryan Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, as shown in the Holocaust and some resources, he was bent to destroy the influences of Christianity and Judaism on his subordinates. This indicates his desire to control the Church and subjugate it under his political leadership. Furthermore, Hitler is Machiavellian, because he led with his mind and ruthlessness. He was a brilliant military leader who won several wars across Europe and developed widespread control in a small duration of time. He is also renowned as a seasoned politician, who knows what to say to inspire his people to support him.

The German rearmament program gave full employment and an unreserved expansion of production, which strengthened by his foreign policy successes, through the Rome-Berlin pact of 1936, the Anschluss with Austria and the "liberation" of the Sudeten Germans in 1938, made Hitler popular and powerful. Hitler also used the Holocaust to advance racial cleansing. He believed that no matter how inhumane it was, it was part of the means to political greatness. Hence, Hitler justified the need for power to rationalize his means to his ends.

Napoleon Bonaparte is Machiavellian, because he influenced the Church to reduce its hold on the people. Like Machiavelli, Napoleon believed that religion is like cement which can bond society together. According to Napoleon, religion advanced national unity and stopped class war; it made people weak and obedient. Unlike Machiavelli, however, he wanted to unite the State and the Church. He negotiated an agreement with the Pope. The Concordat of 1801 distinguished Catholicism as the favored religion of France, but not the state religion.

The clergy would be chosen and paid by the State, but consecrated by the Church. Despite these laws, Napoleon was able to a have tighter leash on religion. In addition, Napoleon also addressed opposition with grand promises of success of his ruling. He is also a fox like Hitler, when dealing with his enemies. Lastly, Napoleon is also Machiavellian, because of his views of power. Even after being an Emperor of France in 1804, for the next eight years Napoleon dominated Europe through battling with a wide range of alliances, such as the combinations of Austria, Britain, Russia and Prussia.

Many of his military victories were shrewdly planned. He believed in his power to stay in power and to keep his ruling intact. Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte are Machiavellian politicians, because they were the fox and the lion. They ruled and expanded their dominions through power and persuasion. They were influential speakers and affected their people emotionally. Furthermore,