room. Gates only solution to saving the Declaration is too steal the declaration. He then with the help of his friend Riley devises a plan to steal the Declaration. They go through with it and steal the Declaration. They use the map to help them find the treasure and the movie ends happily ever after. Now this movie may be corny and fantasy but it does push a theory political theorists have studied for years. Its obvious that stealing the Declaration wasn't right, but it was necessary. Gates had to do what was wrong in order to do what was right. Prince Machiavelli believed that to enter politics one would have to get their hands dirty. This is widely referred to as Dirty Hands. He believed that to get something done it was almost impossible without doing something wrong. He said in a world of so many people where everyone is always seeking fame and glory that everyone does bad. Ian is everyone else in this film, and therefore wants the treasure and declaration for bad. Gates wants the declaration to find the treasure to give back to world. Gates must do what is wrong to stop Ian and eventually cause good which is what Machiavelli preached. You can't enter politics without getting your hands dirty. Another movie I recently saw over break was Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln lived his life by this example. Lincoln could have ended the Civil War much earlier than people thought. However he knew if the war ended slavery would not be abolished. Though he kept the war going and a lot of men were lost in battle, he freed every slave in America. Lincoln saw this as a necessary compromise. He had a lot of blood on his hands, but he ended up doing good with it. Machiavelli would have supported Lincoln's decision from an ethics standpoint, however I doubt Machiavelli would have wanted his slaves taken away from him. Now many have used Dirty Hands in politics because it isalmost impossible not too. Everyone at one point has to sacrifice in the present to accomplish something in the future. Dirty Hands may not be the most appealing thing about society but it is necessary to eventually do good. Heres the Lincoln Trailer, its a must see if you admire History and Politics.
Jeffrey,
ReplyDeleteI have not yet seen Lincoln (although it is a definite must see for me), but I still love the movie National Treasure! It is a movie I have seen a million times, so this post was really interesting for me to read because it put such a different spin on a story I have seen so many times already. I think that that is undoubtedly a situation of dirty hands as well. Ben clearly fits all of the criteria, as you said, for a situation of dirty hands. He is doing wrong for the betterment of the good, which in his case is the entire United States as whole. But, another important key part to point out, is the fact that he admits to knowing that what he is doing, by stealing the Declaration, is not okay. I knows that he is committing a moral wrong by stealing, and wears the guilt of his action throughout the movie. But he still deems it necessary for his ultimate goal. Along with the fact that Ben Gates admits his guilt in committing this crime, this situation also fits another key factor in a case of dirty hands. He explains in the movie that this is the only way he sees in getting the outcome he finds necessary. So making it a true case of dirty hands, there were no other better solutions to the problem. He was truly forced to steal because there was no other way of stopping someone else from stealing it. And because of his wrong actions, everyone ends up happy with exactly what they wanted, as you pointed out.
I know I said I haven't seen the movie Lincoln, but because it just seems to outline the thoughts and obstacles President Lincoln faced in his quest to end slavery, I know I can say that this also highlights a case of dirty hands.
Overall I think you pointed out two really great examples to what I find to be one of the most interesting topics we've covered thus far in class. I agree and think that both of the examples you gave in your post are clearly straightforward cases of dirty hands. I'd be very surprised, yet interested, to see if anyone disagrees.