Machiavelli and Rousseau, both influential philosophers, were innovators of their time. They represented different ideas of what the state of nature and government should be, exhibiting both similarities and differences. Their views have evolved in different eras, which makes them unique. Machiavelli, the 16th-century Italian diplomat, said that a prince must be unethical when he comes to power. He argued that to succeed in politics, certain qualities were important and that ethics could not stand in the way. Machiavelli stated that a prince's power must be maintained by being feared and loved, and by possessing control over the people. Rousseau, on the other hand, was an 18th century philosopher and writer. Unlike Machiavelli, his view of modern politics and philosophies was influenced by the French Revolution. Rousseau believed in a legitimate government elected by a civil society based on a social contract. Both philosophers wanted to develop an ideal structure for the development of a functional society. They both used different tactics to achieve this, but are aiming for the same thing: a great company. Rousseau's approach seems most compelling to me in that it relies on a group of people coming together and deciding what is best for the majority. Machiavelli influenced Rousseau in the context of political economy and the social contract. In the 16th century, political foundations interested Machiavelli. He wrote “The Prince” as a guide to political power. This was his analysis of how a powerful leader could be created. Although most considered his writings harsh, they gave others an idea of ​​what they believed perfect civilized government should look like. Its rules and...... middle of paper...... for the same thing, a big company. The two styles of government presented in this article partly reflect what our government can be, but Rousseau's approach seems the most compelling in the sense that it is most akin to our government. Overall, Machiavelli influenced Rousseau in the context of political economy and social contract and they both seem to believe that government should be directed towards the people but have different views on government. Works cited Rousseau, Jean. “Discourse on the origin and foundations of inequalities between men”, The trials of modernity: Europe and the modern world. Ed. Stacy Burton and Dennis Dworkin. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2001. 139-43. Print.Machiavelli, Niccolo. “The Prince” The trials of modernity: Europe and the modern world. Ed. Stacy Burton and Dennis Dworkin. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2001. 139-43. Print.