Most would answer yes, people are basically good. But let us look at how the Bible answers the question of the basic goodness of man.
(Psalm 51:5)"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did by mother conceive me."
(Ecclesiastes 7:20)"Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins."
(Isaiah 64:6)"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment."
(Jeremiah 17:9)"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"
(John 3:19)"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."
(John 8:34)"Jesus answered them, Truly, Truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin."
(Romans 3:10-11)"as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God."
(Romans 3:23)"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
So we see that people are not basically good, but basically sinful. We are all sinners in need of a savior. Salvation is found in Christ alone.
(All Scripture quotations from the ESV)
