Virtues a successful ruler has according to Machiavelli Essay

Virtues a successful ruler has according to Machiavelli - Essay Example The World Wars clearly illustrate the lengths that have been taken in a attempt to acquire power and fame. However, other social setting have been able to peaceful elect their leaders successful without any strife. A question is then raised on the different scenarios that lead to peace or war among the people. Philosophers went a step further to study the reasons behind the behavior of people leading them to act in a certain way and the mindset involved. Some of them focused on the politics of the people and especially their leaders who determined the political environment of their citizens. Machiavelli was one such individual who drew some conclusions on qualities that led to a successful ruler. We shall discuss his theories at a critical angle and justify his conclusions. Machiavelli was born at a time when the political situation of his time was filled with devious acts of tyranny and dictatorship. The leaders of his time including the Pope took over power by means of force and tr eachery without the slightest hint of apology to the people involved. The citizens took second place in their fight for supremacy and their welfare, including the prosperity of their countries was a dismissal subject. These events lead Machiavelli to look back at past leadership regimes and the impact of their rule on society. He gives an example of Cesare Borgia and states, ‘‘Cesare Borgia was accounted cruel; nevertheless, this cruelty of his reformed Romagna, brought it unity, and restored order and obedience†¦.’’1. It is clear from the quote that the philosopher was only trying to be reasonable in his approach to the situation at hand. He justified the means to the ultimate end as was core understanding of politics. As a politician himself, Machiavelli decided to resign from public office and write guidelines on successful qualities of leaders as he saw fit at the time. He begins by outlining that a ruler must possess the qualities of virtu and For tuna. By way of virtu, one is able to control the status of his leadership and assert himself among his people. This was not the traditional virtuous way of leading, but an unconventional stand in which one uses any means possible to establish their rule. Such means are at times violent and harmful to the people but they sometimes arrived at the desired results as was initially intended. Andrew in his book writes, ‘As such, when he talks about â€Å"virtue,† he tends to mean, not moral goodness or Christian piety, but skill required to keep control of one’s kingdom.’2 He goes ahead to explain that the functionality of the two factors go hand in hand with each other thus one has to be able to prepare for future outcomes by influencing their result. This involves adapting to the changes that may occur in the course of pursuit of power for the sake of being relevant. Those who are resistant to change could find themselves in ruin if caution is not taken. Such as the seasons of time change, so do our circumstances in life and we should be prepared to manage the results of those changes in society. In times of peace, one should build for themselves vessels of protection incase a turmoil develops. We cannot always rely on our luck to be in power but take an active role in ensuring our prolonged stay. The other notion of Machiavelli insists that leaders should separate their innate morality from their actions in

BP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BP - Essay Example Among the various factors that affect blood pressure measurement is the lying or seated position. Clinicians suggest that the seated position is best for the measurement. While in the seated position another factor that also has an influence is the leg position. A flat feet position is generally recommended during blood pressure measurement. However, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of two leg positions on blood pressure in stage 1 or 2 hypertensive patients of Turkish origin and between 18 and 65 years of age. The measurement of the changes in blood pressure taken within a 3 minute interval between the two positions viz., feet flat and cross legged position is the major procedure of the study. The changes in both the systolic and diastolic pressures are to be considered. A comparison of the mean values of the two measurements calculated by a t-test is proposed to determine the effect of both the positions on the blood pressure of the patients. Previous studies carried out by other researchers have shown that crossed legged position had a prominent effect on blood pressure in hypertensive patients as it increased both the systolic and diastolic pressures. The physiological reason for the increase can be attributed to â€Å"a translocation of blood volume from the dependent vascular beds to the thoracic compartment†. While some other studies have not found any significant changes in blood pressure due to cross legged position and though the clinical guidelines do not emphasize the patients to keep a flat feet during measurement, the majority of studies that have recorded significant changes in blood pressure when the leg is cross legged cannot be ignored. Hence it is wise to follow the flat feet position during blood pressure measurement to avoid any errors or unwarranted changes in the measurement. The