All genuine political theories presuppose man to be evil, i.e., by no means an unproblematic but a dangerous and dynamic being.

Schmitt is arguing that serious political thought begins from a pessimistic anthropology: humans are not naturally harmonious or reliably rational, but capable of conflict, ambition, and violence. For him, political order is therefore not an optional moral improvement but a necessary response to the ever-present possibility of disorder. The claim also functions polemically against liberal or utopian theories that treat politics as administration, education, or the gradual disappearance of antagonism. By insisting on the “dangerous and dynamic” character of human beings, Schmitt justifies strong institutions and decision-making authority as safeguards against the instability that follows when politics ignores the reality of enmity and conflict.