My favorite quotes from “The Prince” ( Niccolo Machiavelli ) Ripped, mixed and burned by Maarten Cannaerts Images from www.sxc.hu

[DISCLAIMER] (From translator David Wootton) “ The Prince” is a book about . . . . power not principle

[DISCLAIMER] Some see Machiavelli as the founder of a new, objective science of politics , concerned not with what should be, but with what is , not with hopes and fears, but with practical realities.

[DISCLAIMER] … a description of what men do, and not what they ought to do. (Francis Bacon)

There is a general rule to be noted: People should either be caressed or crushed . If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge. But if you cripple them, there is nothing they can do.

Never postpone action to avoid war

We have to distinguish between cruelty well used and cruelty abused .

The conclusion is: when you take control of a state, you should make a list of all the crimes you have to commit and do them all at once. (That way you do not have to commit new atrocities every day.)

The principal foundations of the power of any government is good laws and good armies

Since it is very difficult to be both loved and feared, I maintain it is much safer to be feared than loved

Men are quicker to forget the death of their father than the Loss of their inheritance

Because you cannot always win if you respect the rules, you must be prepared to break them

Rulers should delegate responsibility for unpopular actions, while taking personal responsibility for those that will win favor

It is better to be headstrong than cautious, for fortune is a lady . It is necessary if you want to master her, to beat and strike her. Moreover, since she is a lady, she smiles on the young , for they are less cautious, more ruthless, and overcome her with their boldness.