A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIThere is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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Politics have no relation to morals.
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A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.
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The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.
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The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing; and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned.
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A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.
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Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.
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If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
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It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.
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It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.
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Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.
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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
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The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.
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It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.
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The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms you cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow.
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There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI