Similarities Between Plato Machiavelli And Lao Tzu

“Goodness” in government
Plato, Machiavelli, and Lao-tzu each have varying points of views on government. Plato’s political views have more similarities to that of Lao-tzu rather than Machiavelli. In general, most people believe that in order to have a strong country you must have a good government that cares equally for all of its citizens.
According to Plato, leaders are those who ascend to a higher level of good and are then able to empathize with the people. Similarly Lao-tzu states “If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn to follow them” (Lao-tzu 54). After having been enlightened, leaders descend to the level of the subjects’ awareness and are able to see clearly, and thus govern better. In Plato’s view, rulers must experience the reality of what the people experience, “they must be made to descend again among the prisoners in the den, and partake of their labors and

He says “For everyone can see but few can feel” (Machiavelli 24), meaning that people can see the “good” but not know that it is really an appearance. People are easily accepting of what they are shown and believe these things to be truths. Machiavelli’s point of view is; if people are easily fooled into believing things, then why must a leader truly be good if he can simply appear to be good. Machiavelli says in verse 24 of The Prince, “Ordinary people are always deceived by appearances and by the outcome of anything.” According to Machiavelli, it is very important to not be hated by the people, it is much better to be feared than hated. He gives three points of instruction to avoid being hated and prevent conspiracy against him: “You do not deprive them of their property or their honor,” do not be considered “ changeable, frivolous, effeminate, cowardly, or irresolute,” and “he should maintain himself in such a way that no man could imagine that he can deceive or cheat him” (Machiavelli