Case Summary: Confucius, Machiavelli, and Rousseau
Case Summary: Confucius, Machiavelli, and Rousseau Wen Wen 8/24/13
We discussed great philosophy of Confucius, Machiavelli and Rousseau last Thursday. Confucius developed his ideas about the year 500 B.C. He believed that it is the virtue such as diligence and good faith that characterized superior rulership and virtue also enabled the ruler to maintain good order in his state without recourse to physical force. For him, men are nearly alike by nature in a good way and a ruler should be self-disciplined, should govern his people by his own example and should treat them with love and concern rather than punishment. He suggested that leadership is about the maintenance of a justice society. Quite the contrary, the Italian historian and politician Machiavelli held the view that the nature of men is variable, and there is evil, what’s more, he endorsed evil behaviors because he believed that evil can be used for good. As a result, he supported the idea of taking necessary force to complete the unity of Italy even in a brutal, deceiving and unscrupulous way. He claimed that it is safer to be feared than loved. Instead of laying emphasis on justice and legitimacy, he thought the key is power and it is a certain thing that the person who gains the power should dominate exclusively. For him, observing behavior is a good way to take control. The last person we discussed is Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher of the 18th-century. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological, and educational thought. Rousseau believed that man was good when he is in the state of, but is corrupted by society. For him, every man is born equal and free, and thus he criticized absolute monarchy which deprives of people’s freedom for the goal of a man who dominates exclusively can never be public happiness. General will is the source of power which
We discussed great philosophy of Confucius, Machiavelli and Rousseau last Thursday. Confucius developed his ideas about the year 500 B.C. He believed that it is the virtue such as diligence and good faith that characterized superior rulership and virtue also enabled the ruler to maintain good order in his state without recourse to physical force. For him, men are nearly alike by nature in a good way and a ruler should be self-disciplined, should govern his people by his own example and should treat them with love and concern rather than punishment. He suggested that leadership is about the maintenance of a justice society. Quite the contrary, the Italian historian and politician Machiavelli held the view that the nature of men is variable, and there is evil, what’s more, he endorsed evil behaviors because he believed that evil can be used for good. As a result, he supported the idea of taking necessary force to complete the unity of Italy even in a brutal, deceiving and unscrupulous way. He claimed that it is safer to be feared than loved. Instead of laying emphasis on justice and legitimacy, he thought the key is power and it is a certain thing that the person who gains the power should dominate exclusively. For him, observing behavior is a good way to take control. The last person we discussed is Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher of the 18th-century. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological, and educational thought. Rousseau believed that man was good when he is in the state of, but is corrupted by society. For him, every man is born equal and free, and thus he criticized absolute monarchy which deprives of people’s freedom for the goal of a man who dominates exclusively can never be public happiness. General will is the source of power which