Machiavelli and King Comparison

Machiavelli and King Comparison

Comparison Paper: Machiavelli and King

Dr. Martin Luther King and Machiavelli, great philosophical minds of their respective times, differed in their opinions of many issues. Their opinions on these issues can be gathered from their literary works. Yet, despite being near-diametrically opposed to each other, King and Machiavelli did agree on certain things.

King and Machiavelli felt differently about what role a conscience should play in a leader's decision making process. King believed that a leader must use his conscience so that he may be just, while Machiavelli saw a conscience as a second-guessing pest that needs to be ignored. Machiavelli did not deny the presence of a conscience, but that a Kingly philosophy would make a leader weak.

Both men also held different opinions about whether there should be a difference between a leader's image and his or her true self. King led by example and showed his followers his true self. Machiavelli, unlike King, knowingly presented an alternate version of himself to his