There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIIt is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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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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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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Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.
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War 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.
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Politics have no relation to morals.
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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.
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There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others.
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Benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more.
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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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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
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This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.
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Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate.
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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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A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI