Locke & Machiavelli / Politics and the Interests of Man

Abstract: Machiavelli and Locke both considered the nature of government and man's individual interests as they relate to governmental structures. Machievelli's idea of fortune and Locke's 'state of nature' concept both shaped the theorists arguments about the purpose of political life. It has been posited that for Machiavelli, politics is an unpredictable arena in which ambition, deception and violence render the idea of the common good meaningless, while Locke would argue that political or civil society exists only to preserve the rights of the individual. It can be argued that for both Machiavelli and Lock, political activity, then, becomes merely a means of satisfying selfish ends. This 8 page paper considers the nature of this argument, reflects upon the elements presented in Machiavelli's Prince and Locke's Social Contract, and evaluates their importance for understanding the underpinnings of government. No additional sources cited.

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Catagory: Philosophy Of Religion, God'S Existence & Freewill

Subcatagory: Philosophy

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