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Machiavelli's Views On The Power Of Fear

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Simon Sinek once said “Great leaders do not need to act tough. Their confidence and humility serve to underscore their toughness.” In “The Prince”, Machiavelli states that it is better to be feared than loved. Every leader produces varying amounts of fear within his subjects simply because he holds the power. This fear is very low in the leader that is loved because of the respect and admiration in which he is held by his people. A good leader is able to have respect, loyalty, and an efficient workforce, which can all be easily obtained by a leader who is loved. A leader who has loyal subjects should have no fear of being overthrown. He may cause terror among the other kingdoms but within his walls, his subjects must oppose the idea of overthrowing him. As Machiavelli said, “A cruel leader could defend themselves from outside enemies but could not help being plotted against by their own citizens” so a feared leader should fear being overthrown (Machiavelli 333). One might say being feared is different from being cruel. In some way, a feared leader will perform a cruel deed in order to produce the fear he wishes the citizens to feel. A feared leader cannot make himself be loved or safe when the people are his enemy because he is outnumbered by them (Machiavelli 334). A leader who is loved sees the trouble of his people …show more content…

One of our greatest leaders in America, Abraham Lincoln, was regarded as role model through generations due to his compassionate leadership. He respected his people which generated their willingness and loyalty to fight for a cause he believed in. During the war, he would visit his soldiers and his concern for every individual soldier made them want to fight for him to the end. A leader may choose to be feared, but it will not be long before his people choose to challenge his

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