Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes, Reality Quotes, Government Quotes

He who desires or attempts to reform the government of a state and wishes to have it accepted, must at least retain the semblance of the old forms; so that it may seem to the people that there has been no change in the institutions, even though in fact they are entirely different from the old ones. For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Reality Quotes , Government Quotes

For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

The reason is that nature has so created men that they are able to desire everything but are not able to attain everything: so that the desire being always greater than the acquisition, there results discontent with the possession and little satisfaction to themselves from it. From this arises the changes in their fortunes; for as men desire, some to have more, some in fear of losing their acquisition, there ensues enmity and war, from which results the ruin of that province and the elevation of another.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

Is it better to be loved or feared?

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Peace Quotes , War Quotes

....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Skills Quotes , Ease Quotes

It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Hated Quotes

He who builds on the people, builds on the mud

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , People Quotes

It 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.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Law Quotes

A prince who is not himself wise cannot be wisely advised. . . . Good advice depends on the shrewdness of the prince who seeks it, and not the shrewdness of the prince on good advice.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Wise Quotes , Advice Quotes

Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so; but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Religious Quotes , Character Quotes

God creates men, but they choose each other.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes

Half of these aren't even Machiavelli. Some are Plato, Thucydides etc....doesnt anyone check these?

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Plato Quotes , Half Quotes

All the armed prophets conquered; all the unarmed ones perished.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Clarity Quotes , Prophet Quotes

A multitude is strong while it holds together, but so soon as each of those who compose it begins ro think of his own private danger, it becomes weak and contemptible.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Strong Quotes , Thinking Quotes

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.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Confidence Quotes , Gun Quotes

A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Wise Quotes , Philosophical Quotes

He who has annexed them, if he wishes to hold them, has only to bear in mind two considerations: the one, that the family of their former lord is extinguished; the other, that neither their laws nor their taxes are altered, so that in a very short time they will become entirely one body with the old principality.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Law Quotes , Two Quotes

For that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody because the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Taken Quotes , Mean Quotes

A prince... must learn from the fox and the lion... One must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who act simply as lions are stupid. So it follows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honour his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.

5 years ago

Message Copied

Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes