The Political Theories Of Machiavelli, Niccolo Machiavelli...

A variety of political theories have been developed throughout the beginning of history in order to provide organization for society. These theories stem from the different views of human nature, which is what people are fundamentally like. In order for a political theory to function in a certain society, it needs to understand how people think and act. Three prominent political theorists were Aristotle, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Thomas Hobbes. Aristotle viewed humans as natural â€Å"political animals† that have both rational and irrational sides to them, allowing for a government that provided overall goodness for the people. Machiavelli took a more grim view of human nature that shows humans as being naturally selfish and ambitious, so the government should be about greatness and maintaining power. Hobbes believed that in their natural state, humans are nasty, brutish, and untrustworthy, which forces the government to have to ensure peace and security while allowing people t o get to their desires. Of the three political theories, the theory of Machiavelli is the most convincing as it incorporates the most realist view of human beings and how government should operate. In order to understand a political theory, it is important to understand the theorist’s views of human nature. Aristotle believed that humans were naturally political, or as he called them â€Å"political animals†, which means that humans are inclined towards politics and innately want to participate. He also believedShow MoreRelatedMachiavelli s On Human Nature1531 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavelli on Human Nature Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes were two modern political theorists who presented new ideas about political organization in the 16th and 17th century. 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Western thought throughout this period placed a major emphasis on the natural rights of the individual, science, and economic liberalism. Machiavelli’s major contributions to political science are hisRead MoreThe Human Nature Of The Prince, Thomas Hobbes And James Madison1447 Words   |  6 Pagesthoughts. The question now is what type of reasoning is natural to us all? This human nature is a topic explored by thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan, Niccollà ² Machiavelli in The Prince, Thomas Hobbes and James Madison in The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers. Human nature is the force that pushes an individual to his or her actions. Political theory, as a result, is shaped around this nature for the sake of survival. One way to get man to his natural instincts is by hypothetically