Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of political corruption on the Nigerian society. It examines the future of the political status of Nigeria given the present experiences in the polity. The paper employs the analytic and critical method of philosophy, with a view to showing the influence of Machiavelli’s political philosophy on the Nigerian political elites. The central argument of this paper is that the interpretation of politics in the Machiavellian way, its adoption and practice by Nigerian political elites stand as the root cause of political corruption in the country.
Highlights
The Nigerian society is characterized by low rate of national development
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of political corruption on the Nigerian society
The central argument of this paper is that the interpretation of politics in the Machiavellian way, its adoption and practice by Nigerian political elites stand as the root cause of political corruption in the country
Summary
The Nigerian society is characterized by low rate of national development. This ensues from the high level of political corruption in the country. Public immorality is characterized by social vices that affect development in any given state Such vices are antithetical to the nature of human being and society. What runs through the mind when we study Machiavelli’s (1999) book The Prince is the presentation of politics in an amoral sense His opinion is that, in politics, any means employed can only be justified by the realization of the desired goal. To Machiavelli, political power can be acquired through any of the following; through war, through one’s arms and skill, through the arms of others and fortune, through wickedness and nefarious means and through the favour of one’s fellow citizens In all of these means, Machiavelli does not give any consideration for morality. The success of the acquisition, retention and expansion of power to Machiavelli, is very crucial for it is the standard (the only standard) by which all political actions are judged
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