PARALLELISM OF NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI’S THOUGHT IN HIS
BOOK ENTITLED “THE PRINCE” AND THE PHILIPPINE POLITICS IN
THE CONTEMPORARY TIME
AY 2020-2021
FIRST SEMESTER
AS PARTIAL REQUIREMENT IN THE SUBJECT
THEODICY & PHILOSOPHY OF GOD
SUBMITTED BY:
SEM. FRINZ SALINAS NARCISO
PHILOSOPHY III
SUBMITTED TO:
REV. FR. JASON C. BALAN
PROFESSOR
SEPTEMBER 2020
ABSTRACT
The Parallelism between Niccolo Machiavelli’s book entitled “The Prince” and the
Philippine politics in the cotemporary time is really present and very noticeable. Niccolo
Machiavelli in his book gives some thoughts on how Lorenzo de Medici should acquire and
maintain the political power in which they have. In this paper, it shows where the parallelism
rests and some possible recommendations in order for the Philippine Politics to be reshaped from
its present condition.
BACKGROUND
Niccolo Machiavelli is one of the many controversial and famous political thinkers in the
world. It can be describable that he is a very practical man. He is sometimes seen as the
prototype of a modern empirical scientist, building generalizations from experience and
historical facts, and emphasizing the uselessness of theorizing with the imagination.1
It is also very controversial that he is inclined or promotes the use of violence and terror
to gain fear to the citizens and to preserve the glory in the country. He is known by the phrase
“The end justifies the means” which is the most common interpretation of his book “the Prince”2
He notably encouraged the politicians to engage in evil or immoral acts when it would be
necessary for their political desires and for them to maintain the power in their hand. 3
The political practices and some thoughts of Machiavelli which is being mentioned above
are very noticeable, widespread and rampant in the Philippine politics especially in this
contemporary time.
Many politicians especially during the time of elections are using their dirty tactics and
dirty techniques for them to be remained in power or to win in the said elections. There are cases
in which it is being broadcasted in some areas or places in the Philippines in which there are
election related or political related killings and death threats.
It is not only during election periods in which this dirty tactics or evils ways in which
Machiavelli taught are being prevalent, even if they are already in their position. They are
1
Fischer (2000)
2
Machiavelli's Virtue
3
Strauss, Leo; Cropsey, Joseph (15 June 2012). History of Political Philosophy. University of Chicago Press.
p. 297. ISBN 9780226924717.
continuously doing such immoral acts and evil ways for them to achieve and to reach more their
political selfish desire.
In fact, before the 2019 elections there are so many election related violence and
incidents already occurred. Since the start of the campaign period for the candidates, there are 43
election related violence occurred4
The Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is being known of killing thousands of
criminals when he is still a Mayor of Davao. 5 Since the time he has been elected there are lots of
killings which happened because of his war on drugs campaign.
Machiavelli also differentiates politics from morality. For him, politics must not be
bounded by morality. What is good or evil in morality is not the same on what is good or bad in
politics. As what is being mentioned earlier, for him, the end justifies the means. But in ethics or
in morality, the end does not justify the means. Whatever the end might be, if the means are
wrong or evil, the action will still be evil. In this case, He was focused on the reality or what is
6
being practical rather than considering what is right or what is wrong.
MAIN PROBLEM AND ITS SUB-PROBLEM
In what aspect does Niccolo Machiavelli’s thought in his book “the Prince” and the
Philippine Politics in the Contemporary time become parallel to each other?
1. What are the characteristics that the Filipino Politicians possess and is parallel to the
behavior in which Niccolo Machiavelli suggested in his book “the Prince”?
2. Does the Machiavellian style of politics good to apply in the Philippine context?
3. What are the possible ways or shape of thinking must be applied in order to reshape the
Philippine politics in the Contemporary time?
4
Jaymee T. Gamil. May 12, 2019. 20 killed in 43 election-related violence. Retrieved at:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1117050/20-killed-in-43-election-related-violence
5
At least 10 dead in PH election day violence. May 9, 2016. Retrieved at:
https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/dead-philippine-election-day-violence-2016
6
Sunsil Sharma, Nov 27, 2018, Niccolo Machiavelli, Father of Modern Politics Retrieved at:
https://medium.com/@SunilSharmaUK/niccolo-machiavelli-the-father-of-modern-politics-d9ed52a3456f
