Carlie Willingham
Professor Cooper
English 101
22 September 2014 Machiavelli and Lao-tzu Machiavelli and Lao-tzu have very different perspectives on what it takes to be a good leader. Their views differ on the reasons they think there should be a government, the responsibilities the state has towards the people being led, and what the relationship needs to be between the ruler and his or her people in order to keep an organized society. Machiavelli believes that a government should be based on power. He believes that the only priorities a prince needs to worry about should be war, the rules, and discipline. Machiavelli states that in order to have a controlled, structured, and powerful government, it is important for a prince to be more…show more content… It is important to enforce laws so that the people being led do not get out of control. Machiavelli believes that a good society is formed from a good military. He states that war and weapons are only necessary when needed. He also states that a successful war is the foundation in which all states are made up of. If a prince was to think more about personal luxuries than about war, they will lose their state. He confirms this with his statement: “He must, therefore, never raise his thought from this exercise of war, and in peacetime he must train himself more than in time of war; this can be done in two ways: one by action and the other by mind.” Lao-tzu’s standpoint towards the obligations of the state to the people being led is to maintain a peaceful and open society. To be a good leader, one must teach the people to be open-minded because when the people think they know the answers, they are difficult to lead. When people know that they don’t know, they can find their own way. Lao-tzu believes that if there is no violence, there will be no temptations. He says that weapons are the tools of fear and should only be used when absolutely necessary. Lao-tzu shows us that having peace is most important through his writing: “Peace is his highest value. If the peace has been shattered, how can he be content? His enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself. He doesn’t wish them personal harm. Nor does he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?” Machiavelli’s sees the relationship between a ruler and his people to do anything to keep power no matter what it takes. He says that a good ruler shouldn’t acre about his reputation and doesn’t need to keep any promises. Machiavelli also believes that it is better to be feared than loved, which he shows us through this idea on cruelty and mercy: “From this rises and argument: