Concepts of the roles and duties have differed across civilizations and many discourses, books, and precepts have been offered to the young prince about how to conduct themselves in the affairs of the state. This paper provides s discussion on Marcus Aurelius’ vs. Machiavelli’s Concept of an Ideal Ruler.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Aurelius, 121-180 AD) was the emperor of Rome in a very trying period when the glory of the Roman Empire was fading. The emperor was renowned as a wide and learned man and his book ‘Meditations’ has some advice for rulers who seek guidance in the matter of governance. There are 12 books in the volume and they are actually self-thoughts on good governance. Some of the quotes from the book are” “Soon you’ll be ashes or bones.
A mere name at most–and even that is just a sound, an echo. The things we want in life are empty, stale, trivial”; “Never regard something as doing you good if it makes you betray a trust or lose your sense of shame or makes you show hatred, suspicion, ill-will or hypocrisy or a desire for things best done behind closed doors”; “Let opinion be taken away, and no man will think himself wronged. If no man shall think himself wronged, then is there no more any such thing as wrong”.
Marcus believed in being just and fair and his advice to the ruler was based on how a good king who was piteous needed to conduct himself. The emperor wanted the ruler to be fair, equitable, just, compassionate and rule by consensus. He was of the opinion that undue force should not be used and sanctity had to be observed. He also urged the rulers to remember that they were not immortal and that old age, death and disease would come visiting to them one day. “Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou live, while it is in thy power, be good.”
There is a sharp contrast in the manner that Machiavelli regarded the ideal ruler. In his book ‘The Prince’ (Machiavelli, 1469-1527) has laid down certain ideas on how a ruler should conduct himself. Some quotes are “Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you”; “The ideal Prince, however, does not entreat or beg Lady Fortune, but rather physically grabs her and takes whatever he wants”.
It is evident from further readings of The Prince, that Machiavelli believed in subterfuge, deceit, corruption, force, betrayal, playing one faction against the other and using all devious means to grab power. For him, the ideal prince was a conqueror who spared neither his friends nor those loyal to him but believed that true and lasting power could not be obtained by being just but by being cruel and crafty.
A further retrospection that is detached would show that the concept of the ideal ruler as practiced by Marcus was indeed ideal and could only be used for theoretical constructs and biblical or classical studies. Machiavelli’s concepts though inflammatory represented the ground realities of life in the 15th century intrigue ridden politics of Europe where power was gained and retained often by trickery and subterfuge than by just being just and equitable. For all practical purpose, the work of Machiavelli showed a prince how to live and manage in a world full of trickery and deceit where the closest friend could not be trusted for very long. Marcus concepts on the other hand reflected a pious king who preferred to earn a good name than retain power.
References
Aurelius Marcus. 121-180 AD. Meditations by Emperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius (2006). Web.
Machiavelli Niccolò. 1469-1527. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. (Trans Marriott, W. K. 2006). Web.