Similarities Between Machiavelli And Hobbes

Human nature is reliable, as everyone is born with the same perspective. It is how we are raised and what we are exposed ot that causes us to speak and act the way that we do. Because of this people who are exposed to and raised in similar environments will act similar. This can be seen through Niccolò Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes; they were both raised in times of chaos and destruction, making them believe that an absolute ruler is necessary to maintaining peace. Both philosophers believe that humans are generally self-interested, and the natural state of humans is chaos and should be avoided at all costs. People are only prosperous when they are selfish and deceitful. Since Machiavelli and Hobbes both grew up in political turmoil, they derived similar beliefs about the malevolent qualities of human nature.
Meet the Philosophers:
Machiavelli, 1469-1526, was an Italian
This marked a time of upheaval and unrest that can be seen throughout Hobbes’ works. The country was divided in a civil war, so he used his time studying at Oxford to derive a philosophical solution to this problem. His admiration for the Scientific Revolution influenced his views. Hobbes believed that in order to maintain a peaceful society, an absolute ruler must be the only person with any political power. Political systems derived from religious organizations could and will not work in the real world. Theological arguments should not be brought into politics, however, the absolute leader can determine the “proper forms of religious worship”; his religious duty can never interfere with their political duties, because politics always comes first over religion. The turmoil in Hobbes’ life led to a negative view on human nature. The unbalance of power in his life, from the Civil Wars to Cromwell’s reigns, led him to believe that society must have an absolute leader because people are naturally