Teaching A New Kind of Politics Refuting
Machiavelli
Politics in America is fundamentally an adversarial process with partisanship, ambition and self-interest taking priority over what is best for the majority of the American people. This has created gridlock in Congress that has prevented any real change and reform that would take the country in a new direction. In contrast, our founding fathers created our political form of government with the idea that we could collaboratively work through our problems together for the greater good. Now, with the economy struggling to recover from a near catastrophic collapse, the unemployment rate at double digit levels and real health care reform derailed, it is time to reconsider how we view the American political system and what can be done to reform it in a way that will benefit all of the American people. Why is all of this happening? And, how did we allow the greatest democracy in the world to diminish itself through waves of personal attacks, partisan politics and individual ambition? And, most importantly, what can be done to transform the political process to what was envisioned by our forefathers of democracy?
The diversity of ideas and opinions are the substance of change and transformation. However, when we allow partisanship, party politics and personal ambition to guide the decisions of our legislators and leaders, a stalemate is created that undermines what is necessary and best for most people. We now have a Congressional system that is unable to pass major legislation without a super majority in the Senate. If important pieces of legislation are proposed by the majority party, the minority party can filibuster anything that does not have the requisite sixty vote super majority. So, without the sixty votes very little can be done by either party to pass necessary reforms for the future of America. However, even with this practical reality it is difficult to understand how our legislators are unable to work through problems in a collaborative way. Both the 9/11 Commission and the Baker Commission were able to put partisan politics aside to work through problems dealing with terrorism and the War in Iraq to arrive at viable recommendations. Yet, Congressional leaders who are elected by the people are unable to work together to arrive at a set of proposed regulations and legislation that will provide adequate insurance for all Americans and protect our citizens from the abuses of Big Business. The American Political System has become dysfunctional. Our political process is now at the crossroads with one road leading to self-destruction and the other to reforms that will eliminate the filibuster and allow for greater collaboration in Congress. However, the problems with our political process go much deeper.
Our system of education is at least partially responsible for how many of our leaders view politics and their conduct in our democratic system. In most political science programs of even the most prestigious universities in America, Machiavelli is generally considered to be the father of modern political theory. This means that politics in our country is viewed to a great extent through the eyes of Machiavelli who believed that “practical politics” involves saying whatever is necessary to get elected and then working backroom deals after attaining office to build political power in devious ways. This view has become the cynical lens through which everyone has learned to see the way most politicians operate. And, it has become the way many politicians have sought to be successful in the pursuit of power. However, in the process of the Machiavellian pursuit of power these politicians have forgotten the contracts they made with the American people when they were asking for their votes. And, even Machiavelli did not foresee the degree to which our media and open communications process are creating transparency in politics and helping Americans to more clearly see those politicians who are violating their contracts with the people and working backroom deals that are not in the best interest of our citizens. It is time that we put Machiavelli to bed forever. We deserve better than this cynical two-faced view of political theory to shape our nation. More than ever before two-faced politicians are being exposed for what they really are in a more open and transparent system of communication and discussion in America. And, there are better and now more practical ways to make our political system work. After eliminating the filibuster, we can start by teaching and practicing a new kind of politics built upon transparency, collaboration and service to the people.
The first responsibility of education is to help create a better world. However, our educational system from k-12 through higher education has focused more on so-called “objective learning” instead of helping students to connect learning with the development of a better society and world. What is the lens through which we hope our students are able to envision a better democracy and global community? Is it based upon Machiavelli or is it based upon trust in public service and a transparent view of democracy? There is no problem in teaching Machiavelli if it is taught through the lens of our democratic values and the model of our forefathers. Otherwise, we are setting up Machiavelli as the “father of modern political theory” and this is unacceptable in a nation that is growing tired of two-faced politics and backroom deals that manipulate the future of our country. How can we expect more out of our politicians if we are taught that all politicians are fundamentally two-faced and untrustworthy? We can and must do better by giving our young people a better lens to view the world built upon collaborative leadership, transparency in democratic politics and service to the people.
Copyright 2010, Global Leadership Resources: For teaching or classroom use only.
Discussion Questions
- Why is politics in America fundamentally an adversarial process? How can it become a more collaborative, problem solving process as our forefathers of democracy intended?
- What has caused “gridlock in Congress”? How can the partisan politics of Congress in America be changed?
- Discuss how partisanship, ambition and self-interest have contributed to the development of a dysfunctional political system in America?
- What is a filibuster and how has it contributed to political stalemate and inaction in Congress?
- How were the 9/11 Commission and the Baker Commission good examples of bi-partisan collaboration?
- What will be the consequences of inaction and a lack of political reform?
- How has our educational system contributed to the view of politics and the actions of politicians? How has political science been taught in the past?
- Why has Machiavelli been called, “The father of modern political theory”? What is the Machiavellian view of politics?
- How is Machiavellian theory refuted by the development of more transparency and sense of service in politics?
- How can the teaching of political theory be changed to reflect a more democratic view of politics based on service and transparency in government?
