Final answer:
Sigmund Freud viewed human nature as a struggle between the id's instinctual urges, the ego's rational decisions, and the superego's moral guidance. This inner conflict reflects in societal dynamics, where unconscious drives can influence social and political systems, sometimes resulting in destabilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sigmund Freud believed that human nature is shaped by an internal conflict between our instinctual desires and our socialized responses to those desires. He posited that our psyche is divided into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification for our basic drives and instincts. The superego, developed through social interactions, acts as our conscience and moral compass, guiding us towards socially acceptable behavior and creating feelings of pride or guilt. The ego, the rational part of our personality, navigates between these competing forces, trying to satisfy the id's desires within the constraints of reality and the moral ideals of the superego. Freud also suggested that defense mechanisms protect us from the anxiety produced by these internal conflicts but can lead to psychological problems later in life. He concluded that due to these unconscious forces, human beings can never exercise total control over themselves and that irrational forces could destabilize society and politics.