Different philosophers approached the concept of governance from specific angles. Specifically, Niccolò Machiavelli approaches this topic from the practical and cynical standpoint by implying, “any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good” (Machiavelli and Marriott 38). This statement can be interpreted as a recommendation to the leaders to refrain from good deeds in an intention to execute excellence. As Machiavelli considers, the majority of people are far from being good or are able to manifest excellence. Consequently, an individual, who managed to achieve a high level of moral excellence, will become a threat to others. Machiavelli advises the leaders to learn how not to be good and use knowledge only when it is required in order to retain authority (Machiavelli and Marriott 38). Machiavelli has a cynical approach to governance by claiming that good people usually lose to the wicked ones, as their methods and abilities are limited. According to this approach, bad people have a huge advantage over the good ones since they are able to do whatever it takes to attain their goals.
