Similarities Between Iran And Machiavelli

The Comparison between Machiavelli and the Leader of Iran

No one mixed up Machiavelli with an Islamic revolutionary, but for sure, Machiavelli understood a little about the revolution. This political philosopher was a native of Florence. Machiavelli saw how powerful the Medici family was overthrown in his hometown, rose to power again and was abolished again. During this turbulent period of betrayal, religious biases and political plays, Machiavelli developed his mind. Five-hundred years after those days, the author of “The Qualities of the Prince" and the intellectual father of realist politics, can find one of his most influential students in Iran -"Khamenei," Iran's supreme leader. Another leader who is well aware of obtaining political

Also, "A prince must guard himself against being despised and hated" (Machiavelli, 226). He believed that leaders must let others to do the unpopular things and do the popular works by himself. No one will find a better example of these ideas than the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian government has been exceptional in such a way that the leader distributes power and controls the key organizations of the country and is being protected from taking responsibility for failures of the government at the same time. Khamenei controls the main levers of suppression in country: the courts, the military and the media. If he wants to undermine the President, he can count on his allies in Parliament. To suppress the protests? Everything happens by Basij, an organization that spies on everyday citizens. With all these tools, Khamenei can be led through all these high-minded leadership gestures that can stay out of spotlight while others contaminate their hands. Khamenei likes to be a man that stays

"He should appear upon seeing and hearing him, to be all mercy, all faithfulness, all integrity, all kindness, all religion. And there is nothing more necessary than to seem to possess this last quality" (Machiavelli, 231). Khamenei with lack of charisma has tried to solve the problem of being on top of humility and modesty by creating an image of a humble cleric of himself. Khamenei has a simple lifestyle. He lives in the central capital Tehran, in a working class area, to stay away from the eyes of strangers, and his tastes are summarized in a simple uniform, shoes, glasses and a Palestinian shawl. His house, with a simple decoration, and his simple menu dinner which is usually nothing more than bread and cheese, so openly flattering the leader wants to show he is