Thomas More's Utopia and Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince are two extremely distinctive and contrasting products created during the Renaissance. Both the works produced by More and Machiavelli concern themselves with the fundamental issues of how society maintains itself and continues to work regardless of what occurs. The two contrasting scholars may both focus on society but yet both authors created works with exceedingly distinctive purposes behind the products. More's Utopia can be seen as a piece to illustrate to those who wish to help create and maintain the ideal society. The Prince on the other hand is Machiavelli instructing a prince; a ruler; or a monarch on how to uphold and keep his own state. More in Utopia attempted to change
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More is not blind to the flaws and faults in human nature. He does however associates these characteristics and as failings of the environment of his era and the political and socio-economic circumstances that are influencing the people, rather than it being a fatal flaw in human nature (Mukhopadhyay, 2012). Machiavelli accepts the world during his epoch for what it is. A place of severity and bleakness, but also a place offering benevolence and kindness (Moore 2011, pp. 387). More, however, is not as understanding or accepting. He makes firm judgments on what he believes is the distinction between right and wrong (Moore 2011, pp. 387). More uses Raphael Hythloday to be the voice he cannot use during his life. Raphael through Utopia makes moral judgments about power, which ultimately separates More from Machiavelli because of how different they treat the same subject, …show more content…
While Machiavelli focuses on how to hold power, More very much concentrates on the actions of the people in Utopia. The ideals More yearns and aspires for in Utopia are at the centre of society not the people. More does not concentrate fixate on power and who holds the power but how to deeply establish the perfect society running on his faultless ideals. Whilst authors as Machiavelli advocated manipulation and deception, while the little factors are not a concern to him. This is unlike More as is strategically plans all aspects of life and society in Utopia. The way in which Machiavelli and More treat each individual society is shaped by their view of human nature. More is concerned about the flaws and failings he sees in man but tries to mould them into his view of perfection in Utopia. He has a more positive view of view of man, and strives to shape their environment. He believes the key to improve mans environment, meaning socially, economically and politically (Mukhopadhyay, 2012), than so will man and it will ultimately bring out the best in human nature. Machiavelli, however, cares little to none on human nature other than how best to understand and therefore manipulate it. He is in stark contrast to More, operating on the darker facets of society. Manipulation, deception and trickery are his speciality. Machiavelli's Prince pushes that a ruler be feared rather than
More is not blind to the flaws and faults in human nature. He does however associates these characteristics and as failings of the environment of his era and the political and socio-economic circumstances that are influencing the people, rather than it being a fatal flaw in human nature (Mukhopadhyay, 2012). Machiavelli accepts the world during his epoch for what it is. A place of severity and bleakness, but also a place offering benevolence and kindness (Moore 2011, pp. 387). More, however, is not as understanding or accepting. He makes firm judgments on what he believes is the distinction between right and wrong (Moore 2011, pp. 387). More uses Raphael Hythloday to be the voice he cannot use during his life. Raphael through Utopia makes moral judgments about power, which ultimately separates More from Machiavelli because of how different they treat the same subject, …show more content…
While Machiavelli focuses on how to hold power, More very much concentrates on the actions of the people in Utopia. The ideals More yearns and aspires for in Utopia are at the centre of society not the people. More does not concentrate fixate on power and who holds the power but how to deeply establish the perfect society running on his faultless ideals. Whilst authors as Machiavelli advocated manipulation and deception, while the little factors are not a concern to him. This is unlike More as is strategically plans all aspects of life and society in Utopia. The way in which Machiavelli and More treat each individual society is shaped by their view of human nature. More is concerned about the flaws and failings he sees in man but tries to mould them into his view of perfection in Utopia. He has a more positive view of view of man, and strives to shape their environment. He believes the key to improve mans environment, meaning socially, economically and politically (Mukhopadhyay, 2012), than so will man and it will ultimately bring out the best in human nature. Machiavelli, however, cares little to none on human nature other than how best to understand and therefore manipulate it. He is in stark contrast to More, operating on the darker facets of society. Manipulation, deception and trickery are his speciality. Machiavelli's Prince pushes that a ruler be feared rather than