Similarities Between Frederick Douglass And Machiavelli

Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass fought long and hard throughout his life to abolish slavery. "Frederick Douglass was unquestionably the foremost Negro American of the nineteenth century; Douglass personified intellectual activism" (Martin). Douglass not only died a free man but a respected individual, respected by his country, government, and supporters. Douglass' beliefs revolved around freedom of speech; he believed that his path to freedom began with his literacy. He firmly believed in a limited government. Limited governments center around the protection of the people and the prevention of a total control government. Around the world, there are many prominent governmental beliefs with many prominent establishers. Machiavelli,

Machiavelli expressed that it is good to be loved, but when it comes down to controversial decisions, fear is vital among members of a country. Machiavelli also believed that if citizens of a country feared a leader, they would always be forced to stay loyal. He believed in a totalitarian government. Machiavelli wanted a harsh government with unlimited power and unfair citizen standards. Fear of individuals seen as essential is very similar to slaveholders' views. "When slaves did fall under the law, they were, in general, classed with the humiliates, but sometimes they had a special place, usually as being subject to more ferocious punishment" (Robinson). Based on Machiavelli's ideals, slaveholders would agree with him rather than enslave people like Douglass. Slaveholders would have admired Machiavelli's extreme views on leaders because they sought total control over the people who worked for them, enslaved people. Slaveholders did not want their slaves to be educated because they wanted to keep them ignorant and controllable. Slaveholders wanted to be feared by their slaves to obtain total control. Machiavelli's claims about leaders would not bode well with

However, Jefferson was a slaveholder for all of his adult life, even during the creation of the Declaration of Independence, where he wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (Jefferson). Jefferson enslaved more than 600 people and profited from the "industry." However, Jefferson knew that slavery was one of the greatest threats to the survival of the new American nation. He also thought that slavery was contrary to the laws of nature. Jefferson went on to sign various documents that would help pass laws that worked towards the final goal of abolishing slavery, which Douglass would approve. Douglass knew that all African Americans deserved the same privileges as white. Deep down, Jefferson had to have believed that African Americans deserved the same rights as whites because otherwise, he would've had different ideas about the Declaration of Independence and the