Comparison Between Machiavelli and Rousseau

Man, unlike beast, requires order. Governments have provided order necessary to keep humans from killing each other and living in chaos. Every government has a leader and a follower. So who is the leader and who the follower? The leader is the person or government in charge, while the followers include the people under control (those who "follow"). Machiavelli, in "The Qualities of the Prince," describes a prince's role as a leader. Rousseau, on the other hand, in "The Origin of Civil Society," describes government and its role as a leader. Machiavelli lived from the 15^th century into the early 16^th century, while Rousseau lived in the 18^th century. Both Machiavelli and Rousseau lived in different times, places and societies. As a result, each of them has similar and dissimilar views in power, war, society and servitude.

Machiavelli and Rousseau believe in maintaining order through the use of power. Machiavelli sees power split between a prince and his people, while Rousseau says the people as a whole retain collective power. A prince has complete and utter control over his people. However, if a prince becomes corrupt with power, he passes his power to the people, which conspire against him. Thus, a prince must appeal to his people for his own safety. Machiavelli sees common people as liars and thus says, "A wise ruler, therefore, cannot and should not keep his word [ . . . ]" (46). Because the people lie, so must the prince. "It is necessary for a prince who wishes to maintain his position to learn how to not be good, and to use this knowledge or not use it according to necessity" (Machiavelli 40). A prince must maintain power through deceit. Machiavelli said, "He should not stray from the good, but he should know how to enter into evil when necessity commands" (47). When the prince has proper control of his people they don't commit heinous crimes. Rousseau believes participants of the social contract should submit their freedoms and in return, receive various other freedoms. Rousseau's idea for the social contract ensures stability of man within society, which he calls the natural form of society. Might, according to Rousseau, does not make right. Rousseau said, "However strong a man, he is never strong enough to remain master always, unless he transform his Might into Right, and Obedience into Duty" (60). Both men believe in keeping order, just in different ways, but extreme methods lead to war.

Machiavelli says war occurs between people, while Rousseau says war occurs between states. Machiavelli believes an armed man should not obey an unarmed man. "And if he

Machiavelli says a prince defines his people's society, and Rousseau says government defines its people's society. According to Machiavelli, a prince essentially controls and defines his people's way of life (society). Machiavelli says, "A prince must not worry about the reproach of cruelty when it is a matter of keeping his subjects united and loyal [ . . . ]" (43). As prince, he can execute his people upon will or treat them like gods. However, if a prince doesn't appease his people, they will turn on him. Rousseau, however, says government defines its people's lives and gives them freedom. Government forces men to throw away their instincts and yield to reason. Because of government, "He [men] must now consult his reason and not merely respond to the promptings of desire" (Rousseau 69). Rousseau believes if one obeys the laws laid down by society, one will truly have freedom. He says simply, "However unequal they [men] may be in bodily strength or in intellectual gifts, they become equal in the eyes of the law, and as a result of the compact into which they have entered" (72). A prince and government essentially mean one and the same. A prince is a form of government and acts as such by laying down the laws (his will), which is a form of servitude to his people.

Machiavelli and Rousseau each have their own opinions on the idea of servitude. According to Machiavelli, a prince should keep his followers content, and according to Rousseau, government should also keep its followers content. Although a prince has full control of his people, his top priority is to ensure his people's happiness. Machiavelli says the prince must always keep his people content to keep them from conspiring against him, only because if he didn't they would kill him. "A prince must guard himself against being despised and hated [ . . . ]" (Machiavelli 43). People shouldn't hate their prince, but they should see him as generous. "A wise prince should build his foundation upon that which belongs to him, not upon that which belongs to others: he must strive only to avoid hatred [ . . . ]" (Machiavelli 45). A prince should avoid taking property of others because the people don't forget such instances and thus despise their beloved prince. Whereas Rousseau says people should work together. "The only foundation left for legitimate authority in human societies is Agreement" (Rousseau 61). Rousseau believes in working together for the benefit of the people as a whole. Both a prince and government serve their people according to Machiavelli and Rousseau, respectively.

In sum, Machiavelli and Rousseau lived entirely different lives. Even though they didn't contemplate their ideas over coffee, they do have similarities in their thoughts. They also have some differences, as noted previously. Machiavelli describes a prince as someone who uses deception to retain full control. Rousseau, in a different manner, says the government draws control from the collective whole. Both Machiavelli and Rousseau discuss leaders and followers. Neither of their thoughts displays superiority over the other. Some people may find Machiavelli's thoughts as disturbing and some may find Rousseau's as more welcomed in the modern world. Either way, one can apply both the writings of Machiavelli and Rousseau to today's world. If governments of today would take into account the methods of past thinkers, people would live in a better world or at least a more civil and humble society.

Works Cited

Machiavelli, Niccolò. "The Qualities of the Prince." A World of Ideas: EssentialReadings for College Writers. 6th ed. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 37-50.

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "The Origin of Civil Society." A World of Ideas: EssentialReadings for College Writers. 6th ed. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 56-72.