Is there any moral justification for ''the ends justify the means''?

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Growing up, i was fortunate to meet some great street brothers who felt my friends and I were their responsibilities and guided us with the little books they have read. After secondary school, i spent further 5 years at home seeking university admission. Many Nigerians would not be surprised that i stayed 5 years at home because it is like a 'norm' to be 'JAMBED' by JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board).

During my 5 years at home, i was introduced to books like Think Big By Ben Carson, M.D. , Cecil Murphey, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter and The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. While i read the first 3 books, i did not read the fourth!

What was i thinking you might want to ask? No, i wasn't thinking anything! I just didn't like the title of the book and felt it won't be interesting! Little did i know that one must not judge a book by its cover (in this case, by its title!).

When i finally entered the university, in my second year, i was introduced to Political Philosophy. In the course outline, i saw Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince! It was then i read the book because i must pass my exams!!

After we were introduced to the topic, many started using the aphorism: The ends justify the means. In most cases, they abused it! 

As philosophers, we are also historians because we read mostly about the history of the scholars so as to properly understood where they are coming from and not misinterpret or misrepresent their views.

To many people, that line by Niccolò Machiavelli means: Considering the profitability of the ends in question, any means is acceptable. That is, provided in the end, the rewards would be greater, any means adopted or employed whether ignoble or immoral to achieve that end is noble and moral! 

In this sense, people assume that they have 'duty' to achieve anything by going any length provided in the end, the purpose is achieved. It is as if the line brought out the egoistic behavior in man. Man immediately sees himself as the only object of reality such that anything that appeals to him must be achieved at all cost. In the true sense of the text, the message was actually directed to the prince - ruler, leader, president.

What did Niccolò Machiavelli mean by the phrase?

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Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence Italy. He was chancellor and secretary of the second chancellery of the Florentine Republic. 

Machiavelli, inspired by his Roman history, was active in organizing a citizen militia (a body of citizens, who are not soldiers by career, called to duty in a national emergency) of the Florentine Republic. 

Machiavelli was later dismissed from his role as chancellor. Soon afterward he was arrested, imprisoned, and subjected to torture as a suspected schemer (one who plots or plans) against the Medici family. The led to his exile. Source 

It is important to note that he was accused, tortured and then exiled. There are many accounts on what he went through during his time but one thing connects them all and that is the fact that after he experienced the power tussle in Italy, he felt there was a need for a more fierce and respected sovereign.

Machiavelli felt the biggest need of his day was a strong political and military leader who could bring together northern Italy, ridding it of French and Spanish influence. 

So he argues for a prince that is so powerful that all he thinks of is how to maintain power! The prince for him must do everything within his power to make sure that he protects the lives and property of its citizen. Whatever means he adopted to achieve that would only be judge after the end result. Source

Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result.

For that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody because the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on. Niccolò Machiavelli

The above quotation explained Machiavelli's view on who a prince must be to ensure peace and continuity of his state. The material condition of every society, as we know, determines their survival. So the situation of his state and the things he experienced made him conclude that the sovereign must protect its territory.

The book briefly narrated above is now a powerful tool in the hand of so many people who felt they have obligations to do anything to achieve their goals. Do not forget that in reality, we are not judged by what happens next or ends. Rather, we are judged by the means. If you fraud people to achieve any goal, karma will catch up with you and you will reap the reward. 

If you are a politician and you use pen to change numbers and make many people suffer because you want to save your family from a disease, karma will also catch up with you. Live life as if you might not see the next day so that you will be conscious of the judgement day.

Whatever result you get at the end should not matter provided the action was a noble and moral one. So from me to you, THE MEANS JUSTIFY THE ENDS!

Its your boy @smyle the philosopher. Thanks for reading!

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