Government by Citizens

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Government by Citizens
Nowadays, people often criticize the form of politics, which derived from people’s frustration in the process of changing the law. Laws must be constantly updated with our current social life would bring fairness and a better society to the people as a whole. As the alternative form of government, monarchy does not allow its citizens to have any control or influence in politics. In monarchy, the common people must obey the rule based on the self-interest of the King. In contrast, both Rousseau’s and Jefferson’s essays “The Origin of Civil Society” and “The Declaration of Independence” are supportive of a republic. Like Rousseau and Jefferson, I believe in humans’ benevolence and their desire to be happy. Therefore, citizens must govern their own society in order to satisfy mutual interest in pursuit of their happiness.
In his essay “The Qualities of the Prince”, Machiavelli plainly says, “love is held by a chain of obligation which, since men are sorry lot, is broken on every occasion in which their own self interest concerned; but fear is held together by dread of punishment which will never abandon you” (Machiavelli 44). Machiavelli believes that basing human relationship on obligation is not effective because men are traitors. His believe in humans’ evilness leads him to judge that humans are not responsible enough to govern themselves. This believe base his concept of monarchy in which a society is governed only by a single leader. The latter is the most powerful, but also smart enough to manipulate his citizens or the common people. Consequently, society is governed based on one man’s vision capable of punishing anybody or anything that is in his way. Since the rest of the common people are passive in political matters, the goodness of a society only depends upon the leader’s morality!
. A leader with bad moral values can lead to destruction. Osama Bin Laden is an example ...