In light of recent developments made in healthcare in the USA, it seems that Obama has been reinstated to his position of 'world-changing leader'. People once again believe in him, and think that he represents the new world, in which we are accepting of others, peace-oriented and modern thinking. However, Obama's views reflect those of a man who penned his thoughts more than 450 years ago: Machiavelli. Obama delivered a speech almost four months ago to the West Point Military Academy, announcing his decision to send thirty-thousand more troops into the conflict in Afghanistan. This speech indicated his accordance with a few Machiavellian beliefs, such as the fact that a leader must know how to be other than good when necessary, and that princes should always be on their guard and prepared for war.
Machiavelli's expresses many radical views in his article, "The Prince," such as that it is better to be feared than loved, that a leader must appear upright but be ready to adapt to situations, and that leaders must be sneaky so the public doesn't think badly of you. He stresses the stability of a state, and of the people's view of their leader.
Machiavelli's expresses many radical views in his article, "The Prince," such as that it is better to be feared than loved, that a leader must appear upright but be ready to adapt to situations, and that leaders must be sneaky so the public doesn't think badly of you. He stresses the stability of a state, and of the people's view of their leader.
Obama's speech began by emphasizing that the USA has been wronged by the Taliban and repeating the damage done to America by them. He reiterated the tragedies of civilian deaths in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This reinforced his position as 'the good guy,' and made sure the public viewed Obama and themselves in the same category - the victims. This was tested when he announced that more troops were to be deployed, going against his 'good guy' reputation, and showing that he could adapt appropriately to situations.
Most importantly, Obama's speech indicated that he knew what was at stake when sending off more troops, but it was the lesser evil. "... I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said.
All of this evidence points towards the fact that Obama - while a modern leader who is making a great deal of change in the world - still reflects the centuries old beliefs of Machiavelli. In the face of change, even the best of us sometimes revert to what's been proven before.
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