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.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIWar should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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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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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.
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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.
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Politics have no relation to morals.
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The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
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A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man.
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Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.
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He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
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A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
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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.
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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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For among other evils caused by being disarmed, it renders you contemptible; which is one of those disgraceful things which a prince must guard against.
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When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI