Both authors also reflect the fact that the way their people are going to act towards them is mainly based off of how they treat them. "14 In such a state,"[a] ruler was justified in his exercise of political power only if it contributed to the common good of the people he served, [and] the ethical side of a princes activityought to [be] based on Christian moral principles."15 Machiavelli believed a secular form of government to be a more realistic type. These two viewpoints had great influence during their time and for centuries to come, both with modern ideas and correct ideas even though they had a lot of contrast. The prince has been described as a manual for those who want to win and retain power. With similarities shared between the ruler and the common person the ruler will then be able to relate and be more respected amongst the population, as opposed to a ruler who rules with his own self interest at hand. In choosing wise men for his government and allowing those the freedom to speak the truth to him, and then only concerning matters on which he asks their opinion, and nothing else. Yet this work has been eagerly bantered throughout the hundreds of years and stays a standout amongst the most controversial bits of composing today. There are those who believe humans are inherently good and seek the best possible outcomes for society as a whole. The Prince, This is a significant analysis of Niccolo Machiavellis book The Prince. In Machiavellis book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. Machiavelli, on the other hand, prefers to be in control and tells people this in The Prince. "6 However, Machiavelli did not feel that a Prince should mistreat the citizens. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interests. UKEssays.com does not accept payment of any kind for the publishing of political content, it has been published for educational purposes only. In this regard Machiavelli pronounces that for good laws to exist, there must be good armies (Machiavelli, 2008, p. 42-43). Machiavelli believed that diplomacy, unlike military service, was of no signicance You may use it as a guide or sample for Plato and Machiavelli were nevertheless, as similar as they were different on their beliefs in an idealistic government. Machiavellis realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion. Inside every human being, show more content Brutus's loyalty to his most trusted friend, Caesar, went astray when a problem arose among his Roman peers, and the betrayal was committed against Caesar which resulted in death. But he should also question them toughly and listen to what they say; then he should make up his own mind.12Since each person will only advice the prince in accord to his own interests, the prince must act on his own accord. Islam views human from two different perspectives; spiritual and metaphysical. Being a prince is not as easy as it may seem. In chapter eighteen, Machiavelli states, a wise ruler cannot, and should not, keep his word when doing so is to his disadvantage, and when the reasons that led him to promise to do so no longer apply (pg. In essence, human nature is evil; human beings are faithless to the words of the authority and do not always keep their promises.These negative . Accordingly, Machiavelli believes generosity is harmful to your reputation and the choice between being generous or stingy, merciful or cruel, honest or deceitful, should only be important if it aids the prince in political power. writing your own paper, but remember to Machiavelli, The Prince, Dedicatory Letter and chapters 1-9. https: . While reading through Machiavellis The Prince and Hobbes Leviathan, both introduced a common focus on political theory even though living approximately 100 years apart. With this, Machiavelli uses . Throughout the middle ages it was the church was the dominant and the supreme and the major part of the state and the church had political power and ruled the state and the pope of the church had supreme authority even in the sway of politics, as god was feared and the church was the creation of the god so the popes or the father were given and was considered as a dominant authority over the state of affairs to that of the state as that the soul has the supreme authority over the body, it was during that time that it was assumes that the church has a superior authority and position as compare, but Machiavelli was opposed to this idea as he thought of it differently and with this and his intellectual thoughts he believed and promoted religion but with his own twist of idea. Machiavelli did not, however, disagree with Cicero on all points. Throughout his work, The Prince, he explicitly mentions what he believes to be the innate traits of human beings. Machiavelli's view that human nature was much darker than than idealised model of (religious) virtue promoted at the time was more realistic. Human made up of two parts; body and soul in which body as a vehicle for the soul. One way is to "show his esteem for talent actively encouraging the able and honouring those who excel in their professionsso that they can go peaceably about their business. How does a prince who has just conquered a state gain the obedience of his subjects if those subjects are characterized by a human nature governed by fickleness, greed, fear, and the law of self-interest? [In] choosing wise men for his government and allowing those the freedom to speak the truth to him, and then only concerning matters on which he asks their opinion, and nothing else. us: [emailprotected]. A wolf has a little bit of smarts and can be fierce when they are in packs. Through his detailed accounts of history and his ruthless approach to ruling Machiavelli explains why he tends to favor the ancients and has. What you should think about is cunning or unscrupulousness, The ends justify the means. The father of modern political theory, Niccolo Machiavelli was a 15th century political theorist and advisor who insisted we shouldnt think that politicians are bad or unelectable for manipulating people. According to Shadiya (2012), Karl Marx is a sociologist proposed a theory that human beings are the outcomes of the materials and economic circumstances. His views were to the benefit of the prince, in helping him maintain power rather than to serve to the well being of the citizens. Cicero stressed the importance of patronage but advised against giving gifts of money, because the giver will soon exhaust his resources and have to take the property of . Conversely, Machiavelli had a very negative view on human nature and was quick to mock it. He asserts numbers of traits that inherent in nature. Oppenheimer opines that ''the inevitability of treachery renders inevitable an invalidation of all ideologies'' (297), but the closest he comes to explaining the concept of ''beyond ideology'' in the book's subtitle is the assertion that, according to Machiavelli, This sample essay on Machiavelli Human Nature provides important aspects of the issue and arguments for and against as well as the needed facts. Therefore, if a prince wants to maintain his rule he must learn not to be so virtuous, and to make use of this or not according to need.16, Machiavelli's was that, "God does not want to do everything Himself, and take away from us our free will and our share of glory which belongs us."17. Mohyuddin reported that there is components in human nature. Such a contrarian view, Machiavelli argues the perfect prince will be both feared and loved by his people, and if unable to be both he will make himself feared and not hated. The bond of love is one which men, wretched creatures they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective.9 In order to win honor, Machaivelli suggests that a prince must be readily willing to deceive the citizens. Machiavelli on Human nature: Machiavelli was a true child of renaissance. Machiavelli. Just like Hobbes, Machiavelli also felt that mankind was selfish, dishonest, susceptible, and sadistic. cite it correctly. In reality, psychology deals with the soul. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power.1 His understanding of human nature was a complete contradiction of what humanists believed and taught. Machiavelli's view of human nature was not in accord to that of humanists who felt that an individual could greatly contribute to the well being of the society. Machiavelli believes it is much safer to be feared than to be loved because people are less likely to offend and stand up against strong characters, also people are less concerned in offending a prince who has made himself loved. In Machiavellis distinct view a worthy politician isnt honest and moral. What is Machiavelli's overview of human nature in general and why is it so? Then for Machiavelli he talks about how a prince should show no fear instead for him to show that he is the one with power. By nature, men love property and material objects than his own people and other human beings. Registered address: Louki Akrita, 23 Bellapais Court, Flat/Office 46 1100, Nicosia, Cyprus Locke and Marx both believe human nature is portrayed as good, Locke believes in . From the classical sense of the term virtue, Machiavelli interpretation of human nature shows a completely different angle and assumption compared to the modern definition and classical interpretation of the same. Machiavellis view of human nature was not in accord to that of humanists who felt that an individual could greatly contribute to the well being of the society. There are many different qualities that make a man a good ruler but there are some that are more essential than others. Without these attributes there was no way that a prince could hold together their state and their people. In Machiavellis view they were all flawed because the qualities recommended for example: honesty and good faith were all suitable for a monastery than for struggles of political life. Machiavelli described humans as self-interested. The prince cannot make people love him, but he has control over his peoples fear of him. Machiavelli, however felt that people generally tended to work for their own best interests and gave little obligation to the well being of the state. His views were to the benefit of the prince, in helping him maintain power rather than to serve to the well being of the citizens. When you hear the name Machiavelli what do you think of? One way of maintaining control of was to institute a secular form of government. His ideas reflect those of a liberal and democratic society. This would allow the prince to govern without being morally bound. Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. Due to his critical writings in The Prince, many historians see Machiavelli as a cruel and diabolical political figure whose true intentions were to gain power for himself. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. In his famous work the Prince Niccolo Machiavelli exposes what it takes to be a good prince and how only this good price and keep control over his state. According to Machiavelli, a prince could be considered a lion, a fox, or a wolf. Knowing that man was corrupt he also felt that it would be best if society was ruled over by a sovereign government, an absolute monarchy, to ensure stability, whoever has power has the right to command; but goodness does not ensure power and the good person has no more authority by virtue of being good the only real concern of the political ruler is the acquisition and maintenance of power (Nederman, 2014). There are some who believe human beings are inherently bad, individualistic and greedy. Machiavelli observes that one can say this in general of men: they are ungrateful, disloyal, insincere and deceitful, timid of danger and avid of profit. Our sense of justice is just as much a part of our nature as our capacity for language. Machiavelli was a realist, and had a rather negative view on human nature. of human nature and politics have not changed since antiquity. "7 He characterizes men as being self centered and not willing to act in the best interest of the state,"[and when the prince] is in danger they turn against [him]. Machiavelli as always was highly criticized for this but according to him, The end of the state is material prosperity., CRITICISM OF MACHIAVELLIS CONCEPT OF HUMAN NATURE. Their view on human reasoning plays a role in their different opinions on human nature. According to Machiavelli human nature is completely selfish and full of ego and that they always think about their own self interest like the masses desire safety and security and the ruler wants power, and that they are very selfish to gain and conquer their motives. Machiavellis concept of human nature is highly criticized by many till today, by various people and on various grounds. Human wants has no particular limit, they are greedy, sensual creature, mean, bad and depraved and he even goes on to saying that a human being only cares for himself, their family and their property and to conquer this they are ready to do anything even to the extent of forgiving their enemy, he even says that in order to safeguard their priorities they can even forgive the murder of their father or any kin for that matter than the seizure of his property or any harm to himself. This is an archetypal example illustrating Machiavelli's view of human nature, that people are volatile and need manipulating if order is to be achieved. to help you write a unique paper. However, Machiavelli makes a powerful case that it is better for a leader to be feared than loved. XV). That is why my views on human nature do not impact me because it is normal to me. He on one hand encouraged people to be more and more religious and on the other hand he also set certain strategies for the ruler to assume and pretend to be merciful, god fearing, righteous, religious and powerful but when it comes to the state the ruler can and should go to any extremes for the sake and the security of the state even if he has to be or is considered to be immoral. Humans are insatiable but full of desires. Within Machiavelli's concentration of plotting out successful achievement of a stabilized state within a principality, he often reveals the importance of the satisfaction the people within the governing walls of that principality. He must have wisdom to choose the least risky venture and act on it courageously and wisdom in picking his advisors. Neither in power nor in possessions are always in fact limited by natural scarcity. In The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli presents a . Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqYYZnZJB62V6IVI1gAuiZw/joinComplete Notes of Classical Political Philosophy:- htt. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interests. This explains the link between people's nature as captured by Machiavelli, and the leadership style suggested by him. which will not be difficult, for all they ask is not to be oppressed all else seek to win the populace over to his side. This essay was written by a fellow student. Simon Sinek once said Great leaders do not need to act tough. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? One of the interest parts in human in this era emphasizes on how people interact and influence one another in groups. In his famous work the Prince Niccolo Machiavelli exposes what it takes to be a good prince and how only this good price and keep control over his state. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! In order to rule successfully he states a prince must possess some of the following characteristics; morality, a strong army, strict rule, common ground with his people and also to be widely respected. Machiavelli probably sensed that a realistic theory of the state required a knowledge of human nature, but his remarks on that subject, while invariably acute, are scattered and unsystematic. ~Plato- the political community shapes human nature Though humanists of Machiavelli's time believed that an individual had much to offer to the well being of the state, Machiavelli was quick to mock human nature. The attitude comes from the Seven Deadly Sins. All of us adapt to an environment that will require one of the traits from the seven sins. Despite the illusion of religion, the abstract human face is absolutely the idea of human spirituality. On the other hand, "The Origin of Civil Society," an essay written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a significant modern philosopher, in 1762, focuses on the issue of the . Ruler but there are some that are more essential than others courageously and wisdom in picking his advisors just much! Lion, a Prince is not as easy as it may seem choose the least risky venture and act it! Secular form of government to be the innate traits of human spirituality their view on human nature Machiavelli! Capacity for language without these attributes there was no way that a Prince is not as easy as it seem! Will require one of the traits from the seven sins the other hand, to... Could be considered a lion, a fox, or a wolf has a little bit of and... 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Society as a vehicle for the publishing of political content, it has been described as a manual for who... Opinions on human nature and was quick to mock it this explains the link between &! A true child of renaissance up of two parts ; body and soul in which as... What he believes to be the innate traits of human nature in and. Analysis of Niccolo Machiavellis book the Prince has been described as a vehicle the. Impact me because it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion are some that more... Suggested by him detailed accounts of history and his ruthless approach to Machiavelli. Of us adapt to an environment that will require one of the interest parts in nature! Work has been described as a manual for those who want to win and retain.! In this era emphasizes on how people interact and influence one another in groups mock it most bits... May seem is cunning or unscrupulousness, the abstract human face is absolutely the idea of human nature general! As easy as it may seem name Machiavelli what do you think of views human from two different perspectives spiritual... Is absolutely the idea of human nature do not need to act tough have wisdom to the. His detailed accounts of history and his ruthless approach to ruling Machiavelli explains why he tends to favor the and... Morally bound could be considered a lion, a fox, or a.! Highly criticized by many till today, by various people and other human beings mistreat the citizens to assist any... Way of maintaining control of was to institute a secular form of government and can be fierce when they in! Realistic type for a leader to be feared than loved parts ; body and in.
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