Machiavellian Tactics

THERE are hidden persuasion in business and politics that are used to thwart competition or manipulate the thought. Niccolo Machiavelli founded this principle and become the adviser of the Florentine Republic in the 16th century. Today, some Machiavellian theories are applied in the subliminal simulation to discredit a cause exposed by a Prince of the Church to the extent of even linking other hierarchy of the Catholic Church as shareholders and investors in the mining business.

Wednesday’s headline of a local paper (not this Business paper) reads “Tabor links bishops to big mining firms”. Mired with public opinion on the inability of City Hall to stop hydraulic gold mining in the upper deltas of Iponan River, some aldermen in the majority party are moving mud to cover their years of neglect to the environmental degradation of the Iponan River. Sideswiping the issue and confusing the public between legal and illegal mining is diversionary.

Of course, anyone can invest in any mining company offering shares of stocks in the capital market and traded at the Philippine Stock Exchange. The Iponan mining issue is the hydraulic open pit excavation that does not have the matrix of endorsement to the DENR for the issuance of the Environmental Clearance Certificate duly certified by the Barangay of Iponan which is at bar. It is not Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan’s Philex Mining or the mines in Zamboanga or Surigao which has legitimate concessions.

Many of the City Councilors’ are lawyers or veteran legislators. They know that a local government unit through an approved resolution can stop any project deemed illegal or immoral. They could use the local government code to protect their constituents rather than favor the few who can pay. This question should be ask to them, on what they can do for the thousands of Iponan residents who were hit by flooding and mud flow after Typhoon Sendong unleashed its fury in Cagayan de Oro? It is the prevention that peoples needs not the cure of relief goods after a disaster.

Machiavellian tactic is of course nothing new as politicians are trained on how to achieve personal and public success. They keep peoples hope alive without entirely satisfying it to preserve their dependency from the bureaucracy. The same as they allow people to built houses along the geo-hazards zone to project their benevolence taking advantage of the poor people’s needs.

What do we expect for an affordable housing? The river banks, the land slide pruned ridges and all those located even on top of an estero or waterways. Tell me how many have not seen houses of illegal settlers built with extended kitchen and comfort rooms along the Betan-ag Creek? How many settlers have illegally built houses on military reservations and public lands cutting the trees and endanger the land from erosions. The rational of creating safe and sustainable cities have long been abandoned over politicians love for the “poor”.

Anything which has something to do with the poor is a written guideline to acquire political power. Joseph Estrada has mastered that with his “Erap para sa mahirap”. The former President was never a poor man. His parents were landed oligarch. He builds his wealth through acting and movie production earning millions in the box office and theatre royalties.

Newspaper press release and tarpaulin streamer s are advertising tools. We are still bombarded with portraits of astute politicians embracing their desolate constituents and the stills are even repeated and re-issued for other occasions. Covert psychological techniques are used to manipulate advertising and influence our decisions that we need them instead of them thanking us.

Machiavellian tactic uses coercive techniques so cunning and deceit to make us feel good. Our subconscious minds are misled to like what we do not need and others that we cannot afford. The late President Marcos succeeded in holding power through his communist scare. He annihilated the political opposition through his divide and rule projecting himself as the savior of democracy but seating as a dictator.

In politics, it is even shocking to know that Machiavellian tactic do not allow subordinates surpassing superiors. A victorious subordinate generate hate and to provoke such feelings to superiors is foolish and self destructive. It is paraphrased, that down the line, no move, no mistake. Iraq’s President Sadam Hussein executed his generals who knows too much and spoke before him.

Ped T. Quiamjot is one of the brilliant columnists of a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro City and currently the General Manager of Pryce Plaza Hotel Cagayan de Oro. His column talks on various issues and concerns affecting the business sector and tourism industry.