Session 13-Do ends justify means?

An interesting argument that I had come across in the readings was machieavilinism, the notion that the means justify the ends and that social control in a society can most effectively be enforced only through the mechanism of coercive authority.

 There are many reasons why the principle of the ends justifying the means can create problems if it is taken to be legitimate basis for the governance of the state .Firstly; this allows repressive states to provide a legitimization of their coercive authority. This is practice means that if the state’s primary objective as a totalitarian is to maintain its dominance and therefore social control it can go to any lengths and commit crimes against humanity in order to safeguard its power bases. The extent of social control then becomes blurred as the states interference becomes all pervasive. Secondly, if the principle of justification  is afforded to the government, it must also be extended to other bodies of the state each of which will have their own conflicting aims which can lead to chaos. Finally, the morality of the ends is not considered at all. Even if we accept the means, are all ends justified?