Machiavelli, Locke, and Marx opinions about human nature;World History 1500-1900s Prompt Write a five- to seven-page essay on ONE of the following: (1) Many rulers have found justification for dictatorship in Machiavell’s The Prince. How would Locke criti

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World History 1500-1900s Prompt Write a five- to seven-page essay on ONE of the following: (1) Many rulers have found justification for dictatorship in Machiavell’s The Prince. How would Locke criticize Machiavelli’s The Prince? How would Marx/Engels criticize Locke’s Second Treatise on Government? Be sure to discuss the issues of rulers who are above the law or have no morality, and the role of private property in politics and society. (2) Machiavelli, Locke, and Marx have opinions about human nature. How do these authors’ conceptions of human nature lead them to their conclusions? GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN INTERPRETIVE ESSAY DO NOT USE THE WORDS “INCREDIBLE,” “UNBELIEVABLE,” OR “AWESOME” UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN AND YOU USE THEM CORRECTLY. SOURCES (Use these sources, no other sources required)

● Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince ● Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto

● On-line reading: John Locke, The Second Treatise on Government ○ To get this on line, go to Gutenberg.org/files/7370 Use only assigned readings and lecture notes. You are not required to produce a research paper for this course, so it will not be necessary to use outside sources. This assignment is an exercise in interpreting material that has been covered in the course. Therefore, DO NOT CONSULT INTERNET SITES. I am not interested in other people’s ideas about the books or the authors. I am interested in YOUR ideas. II. EXPLANATION An interpretive essay involves critical and creative thinking about the issues raised by the material covered in lectures, discussions, and readings. A simple narration of facts will not result in a good essay. What you will need to do is present arguments, that is, a series of related propositions supported by evidence. This assignment allows you to be the historian, for you will offer your own perspectives on history. III. FORMAT Every essay must have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

1. Introduction: The introduction should be in the form of a thesis statement. Whatever form it takes, it should include the major points you are going to make and your argument (thesis).

2. Body: In the body of the essay, you supply the evidence that “proves” the thesis. Here you present the relevant facts (not just any piece of information that comes to mind) in a logical manner. A “logical manner” means a carefully thought-out presentation that leads the reader to an understanding of your point of view, much in the manner that one follows a series of steps in a mathematical proof. History, however, is unlike mathematics because in history there is no one single “right” answer. That is why the logic of your argument is so important; you must convince the reader that your argument is “right.” Do not merely state your ideas. Explain them fully. It should not be left to the reader to infer meaning from the evidence presented or to “read between the lines.”

3. Conclusion: The conclusion of an interpretive essay should include a brief summary of the main points of the argument presented in the body of the paper. The concluding paragraph is your last chance to convince the reader of the validity of your point of view, so try to make it as clear and persuasive as possible.

4. Bibliography of work cited. On a separate sheet of paper, list the works cited. List them in alphabetical order by last name (surname) of the author. Do not pad the bibliography; list only those things actually cited. Example: Locke, John. Second Treatise on Government. On Line: Gutenberg.org/files/7370 Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. New York: Bantam Books, 1981.