Machiavelli vs. More

Questions about how a society should be run have been debated throughout history. From early philosopher, Plato, who wrote about a successful republic to today?s most prominent republican, George W. Bush, the ideals of government have certainly changed. Added to the forum of debate are two Renaissance writers, Sir Thomas More and Nicolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli?s book, The Prince, a guide to how a prince should run his nation, exhibits the fact that human nature is inherently selfish. In contrast, Sir Thomas More?s book, Utopia, a description of the ideal human society, demonstrates that human nature cannot be selfish to create a Utopia and is neither good nor evil but develops according to the society that the person is raised in. In comparing Utopia and The Prince, many conflicting issues arise, such as whether a leader like Cesare Borgia or Commodus should be praised as glorious leaders, and what type of society were they built to govern, Machiavellian or Utopian. Another issue migh...