Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

It is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved? It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.

You have no power at all if you do not exercise constant power.

Machiavelli taught me it was better to be feared than loved. Because if you are loved they sense you might be weak. I am a man of the people and help them but it is important to do so through strength.

It's better to be loved than feared, but if you can't be loved, then fear will do.-Dino quoting Machiavelli

In order to obtain and hold power, a man must love it.

Safer to be feared than loved.

I think political people are afraid of me.

The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history.

Always remember the first rule of power tactics; power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

What this White House really needs is a chief of staff who can read Machiavelli in the original Italian.

In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.

Let them hate as long as they fear.

You are afraid of the one, I, of the few.... You are apprehensive of monarchy, I, of aristocracy.

Force is never more operative than when it is known to exist but is not brandished.

You've got your maximum amount of power in your honeymoon period. The decisions may be wrong, history may prove them wrong, but at least you do it.

Individuals and classes which have lost the force to maintain themselves in power make themselves more and more hated because of their outbursts of random violence. The strong man strikes only when it is absolutely necessary, and then nothing stops him. Trajan was strong, not violent: Caligula was violent, not strong.

There are brilliant minds at the University. My job is not to exercise power over them but to free them. By being in charge and not exercising power I actually empower my colleagues.

The silence of peoples is something kings should study.

If you've got 'em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.

Whoso desireth to govern well and securely, it behoveth him to have a vigilant eye to the proceedings of great princes, and to consider seriously of their designs.