- Authors: Qusthan Firdaus
- From: Universitas Buddhi Dharma
Abstract:
Machiavelli’s The Prince is always disdained due to its suggestion to national leaders to commit some evils. This article aims to discussing the structure of Machiavelli’s arguments, and considering whether or not Joko Widodo (Jokowi) should comply with it. On the one hand, Machiavelli’s realistic account on leadership is arguably consistent with the consequentialist approach in ethics. Here, a leader should not only live in virtue of goodness and justice but also to incorporate vices insofar as there are some proper justifications for it. On the other hand, Jokowi’s reckless determination in governing might ignite some inevitable hatred from people. This paper argues Jokowi should conform with The Prince. The upshot is he should strive neither to be loved excessively nor being hatred by the people as some previous presidents did.
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