For as long as developing societies have existed, the sentiment that humans are innately malevolent has permeated every corner of our media and culture. From movies and books to political narratives, this theme is relentlessly drilled into society. However, it is imperative to question where these ideas originate, why they are unfounded, and, most importantly, who benefits from their widespread acceptance.

The notion that humans are inherently greedy, evil, or selfish traces back to ancient myths, persisting today in the stories we consume and the systems we uphold.

 Works like Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies depict the hypothetical horrors that humans would commit without a ruling class; they suggest that society would collapse without those in power. Importantly, these books are studied widely across the U.S., and ingrained in curricula as timeless reflections on human nature. Their narratives imply that exploitative leaders, while disliked, are just a necessary evil to maintain order. They subtly reinforce the idea that hierarchies—and by extension, the existence of the wealthy and powerful—are inevitable or even natural.

 For centuries, capitalist societies have relied on this same phenomenon: humans must be controlled to remain virtuous. Max Weber’s  “Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” written and popularized in 1904, argued that discipline was necessary to curb human greed and sin. Weber claimed that Protestant sects like Calvinism promoted hard work as a moral virtue, embedding the idea that human nature is inherently corrupt and must be managed through systems like religion. The timing of Weber’s work is also significant; published in the early 20th century, it emerged during a period of rapid capitalist expansion and growing labor movements that challenged the system’s inequalities. By linking capitalism to a moral and religious framework, Weber’s ideas helped legitimize the system, suggesting that its hierarchies and demands for discipline were not just economic necessities but moral imperatives.   Evidently, these ideas have long been wielded by the ruling classes to exert control over the less powerful, perpetuating their dominance through educational, religious, and political messages.

However, this belief in humanity’s inherent malice is not universal—it is a uniquely capitalist construct. American Indigenous practices, such as the Potlatch ceremony of the Pacific Northwest, directly challenge the idea of innate greed. During Potlatch, wealth was given away or destroyed to honor others, emphasizing generosity and communal responsibility. Leaders were respected not for accumulating wealth but for their ability to share and support their community. European colonizers, however, viewed these practices as “wasteful” and sought to replace them with capitalist values of individual accumulation. Similarly, the Iroquois Confederacy operated on principles of communal decision-making and shared resources, where leaders were chosen for their ability to 

serve the collective, not to exert control. These examples demonstrate that human societies have long prioritized cooperation, mutual support, and collective survival over individual greed. It is imperial forces that have erased this history, replacing it with narratives that justify exploitation.

While the idea of inherent human evil has been perpetuated by ancient philosophers and intellectuals, its prevalence today serves one purpose: capitalism. This system thrives on a “sink or swim” mentality, where greed is not only rewarded but maximized at the expense of the working class. By framing greed as a natural human trait, the wealthy elite justify their existence, claiming they simply desired wealth more than others. This narrative also undermines the possibility of post-capitalist societies by dismissing cooperation as unrealistic. Since the 1800s, these arguments have been used to dismiss any advocate against capitalism; Marx even addressed such criticisms in his manifesto, pointing out that communal living was the historical norm long before capitalism. By spreading this narrative, the rich maintain a system where exploitation is seen not as a choice but as a necessity, keeping people divided and skeptical of any system that threatens to break their chains.

Ultimately, the belief in humanity’s inherent malevolence is not a universal truth, but a carefully constructed narrative designed to uphold systems of power and inequality. From old religious texts to modern literature, this idea has been weaponized to justify exploitation and suppress alternatives. To dismantle the chains of the working class and envision a more equitable future, we must first reject the myth of innate corruption and reclaim the optimism in our shared potential for good. Only then can we build a society rooted not in greed or control, but in solidarity and mutual care.