Polis: Revista de Stiinte Politice (Sep 2021)
Machiavelli: Natural right and historicism
Abstract
The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether Machiavelli’s political thought communicates with classical and modern natural right. This task is not so easy, because the basis of Machiavellian thought is in common with the fundamental beginning of the classical political philosophy: the knowledge of human nature. From this point of view Machiavelli starts from the same starting point as classical natural right and uses the same methodological tools as it. On the contrary, the outcome of his theoretical course is different. While for classical natural right the human purpose derives from human nature and any aim of political philosophy must serve this inviolable relationship, for Machiavelli the purpose is not completely disconnected from human nature but partially. When we talk about political domination we cannot ignore the human nature, there is no politics without the human essence. On the other hand, the fact that we start from human nature does not mean that we necessarily act for the benefit, for the betterment of human. By knowing the human essence we can benefit or destroy human. But even this is indifferent; the purpose of the political thought is not the improvement or the destruction of human, but the unimpeded exercise of domination or control over human by going into historicist or individualistic paths.
