The Role Of Human Nature In Machiavelli's The Prince

Human nature can be described as the general feelings and behavioral traits shared by all of mankind. It is what sets us apart from other species. For example, humans are self-centered, social, manipulative, compassionate, empathetic, and have a complex language consisting of sarcasm, jokes and gossip. These are just a few items in a lengthy list of what makes a human. The idea of human nature has been in existence for a long time and has been studied and theorized by many important people such as Karl Marx, Plato, and Aristotle. It is also an important theme in Machiavelli’s The Prince, showing a new view of governing a state that was unheard of in his time. Machiavelli uses ideas of human nature in The Prince to explain what makes a strong leader. …show more content…
He should not show his true self to his people. He must assume a mask or perhaps a persona that hides his true self and his real intentions, the motives behind his actions, and his true goals. Showing his true colors will work against popular support and ruin his efforts to achieve his goals, which are often not the same as those of the people. This reinforces Machiavelli’s view of human nature, showing his beliefs that people are manipulative and self-centered. In today’s society, this can be translated to shaping the image of a politician. It can be seen all the time in the American presidents, both past and present. One example could be Harry Truman, our 33rd president of the United States. He was portrayed as an hard-working, honest businessman, when in reality, he was involved in a lengthy list of unsuccessful