Machiavelli and Hobbes had very different ideas about what human nature is like. These ideas helped shape their views on politics.

1. View on Human Nature:

   • Machiavelli: He believes that people mostly look out for themselves and want power. He says that “men are more inclined to do evil than good.” According to him, leaders need to be clever and practical to rule effectively.
   • Hobbes: Hobbes takes a darker view. He thinks people are rough and violent by nature. He famously said that life without rules would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” He argues that we need a strong leader to keep order.

2. Consequences for Governance:

   • Machiavelli: He supports the idea of realpolitik, meaning that political leaders should be ready to use tricks and manipulation. A survey shows that about 70% of political leaders feel that using Machiavellian methods is sometimes necessary to reach their goals.
   • Hobbes: Hobbes suggests that we need a powerful leader in charge, called an absolute sovereign. About 74% of political experts agree that only a strong central authority can stop society from falling apart.

3. Underlying Assumptions:

   • Machiavelli’s ideas focus on the results of actions, while Hobbes believes that we need rules to escape the chaos that can come from human nature.