ABSTRACT
Throughout the history of political thought, efforts to describe, explain, order and transform collective life have been grounded upon specific conceptions of the character and constitution of human being. This chapter addresses the relationship between human nature and politics. It explores the notion that memes and mores serve as the cultural counterparts to genes in the realm of human development and behavior. It subsequently investigates the core political concept of power and its relation to force and violence. In turn, the chapter examines the distinction between the public and private spheres as well as the relationship between rule and resistance, equality and elites.
