The Modern Prince

(Truth in Politics)
(by Canon Leo/Luis Jacob A. Retanan)

In the reality of this world, people struggle for influence over others to gain wealth, power, and
glory for the sake of cynic pride or for the greater good of all. This continuing struggle for
influence is called politics, and its goal of course is to gain dominance or power over a body or
state. Politics have two known contrasting faces or kinds, good and wicked. Good politics, is a
kind of political struggle that exercise benevolence and just strategies based on morality in order
to gain and hold power while in contrast wicked politics, is a kind of political struggle that uses
violence and deception in order to gain and hold power. Yet there are also disadvantage on using
either of the kinds. In good politics due to benevolence, there will be quick gain of power but a
weak hold on power thus causing political instability. On the otherhand in wicked politics being
driven by the use of fear and deception, it will be difficult to gain power but after there will be a
strong and stabilized hold on power, but then as power being monopolized a political corruption,
abuse of power for private means, may result.
For Examples, Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos, two great presidents of the Philippines.
Ferdinand Marcos exercised wicked politics with good intentions for the Philippines somewhat
evident during his twenty year reign. Philippines prospered and became one of the most envied
Countries in Asia. Yet his good intentions was eventually decayed by lust of wealth and power
this was highlighted on his declaration of Martial Law on September 23, 1972 in order to preserve
his power which was opposed by the people most especially the influential Catholic Church thus
a revolution sparked known as the People Power Revolution on February 22, 1986. As a result of
his twenty year reign the Philippines improved but only to be found out that he looted billions of
money from the government, a clear evidence of the disadvantage of the wicked politics.
Corazon Aquino on the otherhand in contrast with Marcos' political strategy, she exercised good
politics by bringing back the Philippine Democracy. Yet her benevolence almost led her
administration to downfall, she faced a series of coup d'état against her administration namely by
Gregorio Honasan, a former ally, this is a clear evidence of Political Instability.
Therefore exercising either of the two will prove to be futile or ineffective to preserve the power
gained. In truth the secret is to exercise the two contrasting political ideas thus giving birth to a
new kind of politics and that is Amoral Politics, a kind of political struggle which considers no
moral standard (there is no right and wrong) in order to gain power. Exercising Amoral Politics is
an effective way in gaining and preserving power that is exercised up to the present time.
" A prince ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete with
the above-named five qualities, that he may appear to him who sees and hears him altogether
merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious." - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
In Amoral politics one must exercise deception through benevolence. One must deceivingly show
all goodness to gain trust, loyalty and love from the people but deep inside he must be cunning,
manipulative, cunning and devious in order to stay on dominance. Above all, even though Amoral
politics disregarded the moral codes of any religious organizations in this world, a politician who
practice amoral politics is obliged to get the favor of the religious in order to have mass support.
For example is Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France (August 15, 1769- 5 May
1821),considered as one of the most brilliant and successful military strategist in his time until
now. He is an avid reader of The Prince by Machiavelli and was claimed that he brought a copy
during one his battles. He promoted reforms that will benefit every social class, For the poor he
lowered the price of basic commodities like bread and produce jobs to gain their love, for the
middle class he encourage businesses and established the Bank of France to gain their favor,
and for the nobles he gave them important government positions to gain their loyalty. On the
otherhand he manipulated persons to gain power most especially the Pope and execute people
who stands his way. He ruled Europe for nine glorious years and during this nine years he
brought sweeping reforms that benefited and also harm humanity but all in all he exercised
amoral politics for the greater good of France and Europe. He brought change in this world.
There is still last kind of politics, Ecclesial Politics which is evidently exercised by the Church.
Ecclesial Politics, a political struggle which exercises moral codes based on God Himself, the
Divine, which is an effective way too and easiest in gaining and preserving power but only limited
for the clergy. Ecclesial Politics help the humble church transform into the most influential
organization on Earth and of course it also gives high privileges to the Pope, the highest authority
of the Roman Catholic Church, like infallibility to errors. These privileges are sometimes abuse by
the clergy yet the Church is now reforming from within.
Politics here now on the Philippines is a dirty politics, a kind political struggle in which is almost
similar to wicked and amoral politics yet the intention is to grab wealth and power only for their
selves and nothing more, a corrupt and selfish intention that drags the country into poverty along
with its people and destroys the sense of nationalism to the country. This is the reason why
Philippines will never be great again unless this kind of political struggle is change.
In conclusion politics is not purely evil, it is created by human nature therefore it is either good or
bad depends on the people who are exercising it. So what for is Politics? Politics is made for the
greater good of the people and not for self indulgence in power. Using good, wicked or amoral
politics is acceptable only if it is for the welfare of humanity and not for pride, wealth or glory of
self. Although necessary things must be done, moral, wicked or amoral ways, in order to achieve
what is politics truly made for.