Machiavelli versus Buddha

Robert Buddan, Contributor

Much of what we have witnessed in our politics over the last year comes down to one principle: power first. This is the fundamental principle popularly associated with Machiavellian politics. Niccolo Machiavelli, the Italian political philosopher of the 15th and 16th centuries, advised rulers to be ready to put their survival, self-interest and power first; and not to always trust others or compromise with them.

 If it meant lying, deceiving and manipulating others, so be it, because in his dark view of human nature and the world of human affairs, others would do to the same to them.

The survival of the Golding regime has been its top priority. It puts power first. All that Golding purportedly stood for before has gone out the window. Buying elections, delaying the extradition of Christopher Coke, lying about his involvement in the Manatt affair, and various questionable deals that favour big, moneyed sponsors of the party, point in one direction: power first. There is much speculation about what Golding knew, who he knew, what he ordered, who carried out his orders, what his objectives are, and whose interests those objectives are meant to serve. But they all suggest one purpose: power first.

Machiavelli is much better known among political scientists than Siddartha Gautama (the Buddha or Enlightened One), the Indian philosopher who, nonetheless, is much better followed. Though he lived 500 years before Jesus, Buddha held views of democracy, equality, environmentalism, humanism, and economy far more advanced than the Greeks or Europeans during their periods of renaissance. Buddha had words of advice for rulers, like Machiavelli did. If it is not too radical to expect, probably the Golding administration might reinvent itself away from Machiavellian to Buddhist principles.

Advice to Rulers

A good ruler, advised the Buddha, should act impartially. He should not discriminate between one particular group and another. In other words, he should not discriminate between JLP and PNP or any critic of the JLP on the grounds that they are unpatriotic, or have maggots in their brains. They all should have their roads fixed and should all be equally entitled to the award of contracts.

A good ruler, the Buddha went on, should not harbour any form of hatred against his people. He should not hate the majority who do not support the JLP. He should not entertain the claim (even by his wife) that the PNP, for example, has conspired with Jamaicans in the diaspora or anyone else to harm relations between Jamaica and the United States (US) and to embarrass him over the Manatt and 'Dudus' affairs, which he, in all honesty, inflicted on himself.

A good ruler, the Buddha continued, should show no fear whatsoever in enforcing the law, if it is justifiable. The enforcement of our extradition law with the US, for example, was justifiable, as has now been demonstrated. It was justifiable, even when spurious arguments were being made against it. The law must be enforced fearlessly regardless of which supporters are implicated, whether they are loyal leaders in garrison constituencies, big-money sponsors who want privileged business contracts, or ministers of government against whom charges are made with criminal implications.

A good ruler, insisted the Buddha, must possess a clear understanding of the law to be enforced. It must be enforced in a reasonable manner with common sense, rather than simply enforced because the ruler has the authority to enforce it. The Buddha meant, in other words, that a state of emergency, or anti-crime laws relating to arrest, due process and bail, must respect human rights, be subject to accountable procedures, and must be applied to the right persons (not just poor, black downtown youth) in the right ways, for the right reasons.

The Buddha's beliefs over 2,500 years ago were very advanced for that time and this. He felt that if a ruler is unfit, incompetent, immoral, and unworthy, he should be punished by the people. If, for example, he punishes innocent people and not culprits, he is unfit. If he is found to punish Harold Brady and not himself or anyone else who acted improperly in the Manatt affair, or to have caused the death of any innocent persons among the 73 persons killed in the raid on Tivoli, the ruler should be punished.

The Buddha had developed ideas that were very similar to the way our parliamentary democracy works today. He felt that an unworthy leader should be censured, such as by parliamentary censure. But punishment would, I presume, include other forms of loss of office by non-election, imprisonment or impeachment.

Unlike Machiavelli, the Buddha advised rulers of their moral duty, of seeing to the public welfare of the people, and the improvement they could and should make to themselves. He said that the wise ruler improves himself and carefully examines his words, deeds and thoughts. He tries to listen to public opinion to discover what he has done wrong and how he might do better.

Advice to the Government

The Buddha had advice for governments as a whole. He offered a set of rules for governments to live by. Governments should be liberal, rather than intolerant and authoritarian, and they should not be selfish, thinking only of the interest of the government, but should think about the interest of the people. Governments should be of high moral character rather than behaving in corrupt and immoral ways. Governments should be willing to sacrifice pleasure and high living for the welfare of the people. In times like these, governments should practise the same austerity they impose on people. Governments should be honest and govern with absolute integrity. They should be truthful and worthy of the people's trust. Governments should be kind and gentle, rather than abusive, arrogant and cruel.

Leaders of governments should lead a simple life so that the people can emulate them. They should not live in opulence when a country cannot afford it. Governments should be free from hatred of any kind. Hatred born of class, ideology, culture or nationalism should be avoided. Governments should practise non-violence, and avoid revenge and so-called just wars. They should exercise patience and respect public opinion in order to achieve peace.

Even here, the Buddha believed the example had to start with the ruler. He said, "When a ruler of a country becomes just and good, the ministers become just and good; when the ministers become just and good, the higher officials become just and good; when the higher officials become just and good, the rank and file become just and good; when the rank and file become just and good, the people become just and good."

A country could become corrupt, degenerate and unhappy when its leader becomes corrupt and unjust.

People in society must also have the right values. They must care about the welfare of others, believe in equality, protect life and the environment, and use resources wisely. Is all of this beyond us this new year?

Robert Buddan lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and Robert.Buddan@uwimona.edu.jm.