IN CHESS, the knights, the queen, the bishops, and the pawns can all make or break a king.
Same in politics, at least for Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (no pun with my name), the classic power pundit. The moves of a politician’s right-hand men, spouse, churchmen, and people can spell checkmate.
Political candidates read Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, which was written for rulers in the making. Often, these aspiring politicians are simply too happy to read themselves in the book. Although The Prince was written in 15th century Italy, the same rules apply in 21st century politics. What does it take to hold power? Statesman Machiavelli gives tips:
Rule no.1: If you cannot be good always, at least pretend. Power grabbers don’t have rules but guns, goons and gold. But people expect otherwise. They look at leaders as models with moral ascendancy. Look at Erap. He was ousted from office not because he was the only womanizer, gambler, alcoholic, or dope in town; he made a show of it. Or take Bush. He appears to be prayerful and pro-life, so he won Uncle Sam by the morality vote.
Rule no.2: There are two ways of fighting: one by law, another by force. The first is to man, the latter is to brutes. When dealing with brutes, the former will not work. Use the second.
Rule no. 3: The leader should himself shower the favors but should delegate the punishments. This is called the “black knight” principle. A leader to be beloved must himself give the merits, but should have a black knight to do the chastiser’s job. Ferdinand Marcos’ mistake, aside from indulging his “snow queen” Imelda, was declaring martial law by himself. Gloria Arroyo does it, critics say, via Jovito Palparan and the military. Even the well loved John Paul II took his own orthodox enforcer—Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. The latter, now Pope, could consider having his own.
Rule no.4: If you have to choose, better be feared than loved, but not hated. In the first place, Machiavelli says, nothing is stable in politics and everyone can be a rival. So relations of friendships and love are no assurance, these only increase indebtedness—utang na loob. Whereas when one is able to instill fear, others will follow without the leader giving anything in return. Nevertheless, one should not be hated which drives rebellions. What induces hate? Refer to no.5.
Rule no.5: Punishments should be done all at once so that seldom felt will be less remembered. But boons should be granted apiece that they may linger. Penalties must be swift for a “shock and awe” effect but this should not be the order of the day lest people get desensitized or harbor disgust. Cruelty once in a while will sustain fear but not hatred. Privileges, meanwhile, must be given in proportions that they may be better appreciated and craved.
Finally, rule no.6: If rulers are true to Christian principles, the states would be more united and happier. This last maxim is often missed since the term “Machiavellian” is associated with despotism—the end justifies the means. But Machiavelli does not really justify evil, only the necessary lesser evil. Since The Prince was written hastily for the unstable Medicis, the real Machiavelli comes out in his thesis, The Discourse on the First 10 Books of Titus Livy. Bantam Books was careful to release both works together since The Prince alone, political analysts say, will guarantee doom.
In The Discourse, Machiavelli turns “Republican.” Although a ruler could take advantage of religion, the contrary would also be true: he would be at a lost without it. (Machiavelli was papal adviser to Leo X and Clement VII and died receiving the sacraments.) Religion is useful, he says, “in animating the people, in keeping men good, and in shaming the wicked.” Machiavelli advises the ruler not to take the women and property of his subjects even in The Prince. If he is “to slay one’s fellow, betray one’s friends, act without faith, without pity, without religion,” he may win power but not glory. But with virtue, one is “praised and admired even in one’s enemies.”
In the end, Machiavelli only wants empowered leaders who can bring terror to the crooked and order and rights to the people, which should be the end of any political game. For “popular governments are still superior to those of princes,” Machiavelli says, and “in glory and in goodness the people are far better.”
