The Rulers’ Virtue Study for Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn According to Niccolo Machiavelli’s Viewpoints

Abstract

This research had the objectives to analyze the ruler’s virtue of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn in the view of Niccolo Machiavelli, and to compare the influence of the sociopolitical context on the ruler’s decision making of Niccolo Machiavelli and Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn. The study topics consisted of sociopolitical context, sociopolitical context on the ruler’s decision making, ruler’s qualifications, the ruler’s rise to power and ruler’s virtue. This research was qualitative research with applied ethics approach. The methodology was documentary research and the research results were presented by descriptive analysis. The results indicated that Niccolo Machiavelli presents the ruler’s virtue which follows the administration under the unstable Italian sociopolitical context by exemplifying the ruler’s qualifications and practices of Cesare Borgia who rose to power by depending on other people and good faith. For Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, he rose to power and position as the prime minister during the unstable sociopolitical situation in Thailand by applying the ruler’s qualifications and practices and depending on other people and good faith, in accordance with the ruler’s virtue in the perspective of Niccolo Machiavelli.