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Why Is Fear Justified

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Throughout human history, fear has played a significant role in our societies. Oftentimes, when we humans make a decision, fear of potential consequences for choosing any of the available choices we have is factored into our final decision. Bill 'The Butcher’ Cutting really said it best with his claim in the film Gangs of New York that fear is "what preserves the order of things.” In many ways, such fear helps to keep us from being disorderly or breaking our given society’s laws. In turn, fear can be used by governments to help keep their subjects orderly and civil, but the question remains should they and is it even justifiable? By justifiable, I mean does the use or propagation of fear in a society serve the best interests of the multitude instead of individuals. Early political philosophers Thomas …show more content…

In the hypothetical commonwealth, subjects have particularly restricted liberty and have to follow several strict commandments (Hobbes 98-104). One commandment in particular is quite bothersome to me, as it states that subjects cannot speak out negatively against their government (the sovereign) (Hobbes 100). Furthermore, if a subject was to violate the law they could even face death (Hobbes 100). This type of censorship of different political ideologies seems similar to that of corrupt regimes in contemporary society. The idea of having to live in a society in which I would have to fear critiquing those in power because doing so would endanger my life is deeply unnerving. In my eyes, the use of fear to maintain political order should not extend past using it to create a security and safety for the multitude. With this said, philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli seems to have had a different perspective when it comes to the role fear should play in maintaining political

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In the essay, Security and Freedom (2023), author Eva Lindani, asserts that liberty should be prioritized over security and suggests that higher governments prioritizing the latter would be overstepping as citizens are capable of protecting themselves. She supported this claim by providing examples of past governments abusing power while framing it as a security measure. Her essay was written in hopes of persuading the audience to prefer liberty over security in order to create a balanced society by keeping the federal government out of local business. Moreover, Lindani’s tone seems as if she aimed for an audience that lacks trust in the government. The most effective strategy she uses to persuade the readers is by using a sensitive topic as

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The Primary objective of all leaders should be to control citizens. A society that allows authority to be challenged will never succeed. This source depicts an authoritarian or totalitarian view of what a governing body should look like. The author suggests that the primary objective of government should be the “control of the citizens”, and therefore that the individuals should entirely obey said government.

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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. "

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Fear is a dangerous tool, for it can be used in countless ways and for numerous objectives. Politics of fear is the concept that people may incite fear in the general public to achieve political or workplace goals through emotional bias. Two examples of politics of fear being used in the past to “convince” people to do something are the witch trials in Salem and the McCarthy hearings. While far apart in time, they are extremely similar in idea and process, both had an end goal of getting their respective “defendants” to incriminate themselves.

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the authors explain in this section that if people are pushed into a government that does not allow them to uphold their rights, then they are in their own rights to overthrow the current rulers in the pursuit of a better, and more just mode of governing. these beliefs are outlined in the next paragraph, where parallel structures are used in order to create a more impactful and riveting read. “. . . That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government . . .” (CITATION NEEDED).

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According to Machiavelli, a ruler should use fear as a tool to maintain the power of a prince, instead of as foundational piece for the construction of a political order. In The Prince, Machiavelli defines fear as the fear of punishment for not obeying the law of a ruler. Machiavelli states that "Fear is held by a dread of punishment that never forsakes you," (Machiavelli 67). According to Machiavelli, it is ideal for the subjects of a ruler to fear the ruler because he can enforce the punishment that he can enforce upon his subjects. Machiavelli upholds that fear of a ruler is essential for the successful maintenance of a political order and that a prince should actively seek to cultivate an image of fear to maintain his power.

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“Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. ”1 -Thomas Paine, “Common Sense” In 1763, Dr. Samuel Johnson, an Englishman, said, “If the abuse is enormous, nature will rise up, and claiming her original rights, overturn a corrupt political system.” This statement has been validated throughout the course of human history.

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In theory, people are meant to kept in check by a paramount authority for their best interest. In an excerpt from the Leviathan, Hobbes states, “...that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre…” Government is a unifying power, an external force that placates human nature with a sense of security. Similarly, in Common Sense by Paine, “Here then is the origin and rise of government; namely, a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world; here too is the design and end of government. Freedom and security.” Regarding the structure of government, specifically separation of powers, the Second Treatise Concerning Government, the concept of judicial, executive, and legislative branches is further explained, “First, There wants an establish’d, settled, known Law, received and allowed by common Consent to the Standard of Right and Wrong (...)

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The Salem Witch Trials happened during the Spring of 1692, when a group of girls in Salem Massachusetts claimed to be possessed by the devil and were accused of witchcraft. This was the beginning of the salem witch trials. Although there are multiple theories, I believe that the Salem Witch Trials were caused by the fear that there were witches and the people of Salem were trying to protect everyone by hanging them. First, the daughters of Samuel Parris became sick in January. When they did not get better the village doctor, William Griggs, was brought to look at them.

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The best place to begin for this where he answered the question which is better to be loved or feared Love or Fear Which is to be better loved or feared? This question is an important one and Machiavelli answer for it is great. “One ought to be both feared and loved, but as it is difficult for the two to go together, it is much safer to be feared than loved” (Machiavelli 61). This leads to one of his core beliefs which is that, he believes humans are awful creatures and will seek out

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Throughout Machiavelli’s The Prince, he goes into great detail of the characteristics of mankind and what an ideal prince should be like. One of the things that he talks about that is very questionable is whether it is better to be feared than to be loved. Machiavelli says that it better to be both feared and loved, but if he had to choose only one, he would pick fear.

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Furthermore, Machiavelli thinks that fear works best because you can’t trust people to always be loyal through affection: “In general men are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly,

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In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.

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Machiavelli believed that men will follow a ruler as long as the ruler serves their interests, and a quick to turn against the ruler unless they fear great punishment. Machiavelli would say that it is best to be feared rather than loved as long as the fear does not cause hate, which he believed to be perfectly possible.

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Probably one of the most infamous and controversial ideologies of the 16th century, the prince by Machiavelli has been a reference for many great leaders and academicians since it was published. The book provides historically tested and proven principles of leadership. The prince has been described as a manual for those who want to win and retain power. While some may argue that leadership is an inherent trait in human, leaders are made, not born. Making a great leader out of a person is not just a matter of identifying the leadership traits, skill and talents of the individual, but harnessing the traits, develop them and eventually mastering how to be leader.

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