09076. MACHIAVELLI, GANDHI AND MARTIN LUTHER KING (MLK) ON LEADERSHIP AND POWER. This paper examines the philosophical and political foundations of power by comparing the leadership philosophies of Niccolò Machiavelli, Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Machiavelli had a purely practical view on the use of power, while Gandhi and King took an ethical view on its use. Reference is made to the argument of Carl Sagan that leaders need to be adaptable in their use of strategies. It is concluded that there are advantages and disadvantages to both views of power and that leaders should incorporate the best ideas from both as they adapt to the situations placed before them. TAGS: philosophy legitimate charismatic coercive power leadership ethics Machiavelli Gandhi King Sagan. Turabian Style with Endnotes. 11 pages, 16 footnotes, 8 bibliographic sources. 2,590 words.