A New Perspective on Machiavellian Leadership

Bibliographic Data

ID6339604
AuthorsEmily A Davis (0000-0002-8617-492X, The University of Texas at Austin, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume76
Issue4
Pages1805-1813
Publication date2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Research Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1065-9129 • E-ISSN: 1938-274X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10659129231180190
OpenAlexW4378529956
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited34

Recently, much debate has occurred regarding Machiavelli’s standards for good leadership. Drawing on his unusually approving—but still understudied—treatment of Marcus Furius Camillus, a Roman general and ruler, this paper presents a new perspective on Machiavelli’s leadership teachings. It argues that the Machiavellian leader possesses a rare self-honesty that frees him from heroic visions of himself and, thus, from dangerous vanity and from vengefulness toward opponents. Although this leader is no altruist, then, he often benefits his people more effectively than other rulers can, for he views the needs of his state with clearer eyes. This complex outlook differs from the ones that most scholars have attributed to the Machiavellian leader. It also provides us with a nuanced framework for considering what qualities to look for in potential leaders today

Aesthetics · Art · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Honesty · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Ruler · Sociology · State (computer science · Vision · Emotional Intelligence and Performance · Law · Management and Organizational Studies · Personality Traits and Psychology · Philosophy

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access