Question

Machiavelli, Malcolm X, and Michael Oakeshott all present distinct views of what political maturity means. Present each of their views.

Answer 1

Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian writer, philosopher , politician , diplomat and many more. Machiavelli gave one of the most recognized and looked up to views on Political leadership or political maturity. According to him , Political maturity lies in the depth of understanding that a leader possesses. According to him it is the responsibility of the leader to lead more than to rule. Ruling . according to Machiavelli, is an art and philosophy, and morality is the basis of the principle of ruling. His Theory of maturity of leadership aimed to maintain stability in life and to stabilize public order. His principle view stated that a successful matured leader would rule his people with love and. His staunch view was that , people should not fear their rulers, rather should have a sense of love for the ruler.Machiavelli wanted a person to be more attentive to themselves , if they want to be a ruler. Machiavelli was also very rigid in his works , and he was also believed to follow evil means. Machiavelli believed the politics is not a safe territory and that a leader should accept all means , even evil and un acceptable means, to prove to be a good and lovable ruler.Most of the local Government systems are partly inspired by the politically matured consideration of Machiavelli’s political teachings. Machiavelli believed that a ruler must be lovable , even if he has to apply certain amount of pressure on his people to attain certain political actions done. Machiavelli believed that a leader must be at times a rigid governor if the need arises him to be , so that in the longer run, the people can love his actions.

Malcolm X was a human rights activist. He also served as a minister in America. Malcom X was a staunch advocator of the human rights of the black people in America, so much, that he even went to the extent of hardly criticizing the other communities. Malcom X believed that political maturity should lie with the common people , even more than that in the leaders. He was of the belief that , if the leaders do not act and fulfill the promises made to the people before he became the leader during election campaigning , then the people need to introspect their choice of the leader. He levied the lack of maturity of the common people who had selected such a leader.He accused the people of being ignorant , irrational and irresponsible during the days when the political leader came to them for votes. He believed that the political leaders would blame each other for nothing , during their campaigning for election. It is the people’s maturity and responsibility to elect a leader who could actually work for them , and improve their condition. After that elections are done , and a political leader does not fulfill his promises, and the people then realize their immaturity during casting their votes, that feeling is in total vain.
  Michael Oakeshott was a European writer , philosopher , historian and he gave his views on politics and religion too. Michael Oakeshott was of the view that political maturity is not something that can be indicted on anybody or on a group of people. Political maturity or political developments of the people is a gradual physiological advancement of a person or a particular group of people where they become more politically educated , and start taking care of their political needs of dependence, and no longer stay dependent on the Government to take care of their political well being. Maturity in politics is a sense of belief that the people must realise and grow among themselves for their economic and political development.