Monday, May. 25, 2009 - 11:18 p.m.
Foot Prince
************
Upon this a question arises:
whether it be better to be loved
than feared or feared than loved?
It may be answered that
one should wish to be both,
but, because it is difficult
to unite them in one person,
is much safer to be feared than loved,
when, of the two,
either must be dispensed with.
Because this is to be
asserted in general of men, t
hat they are ungrateful, fickle,
false, cowardly, covetous,
and as long as you succeed
they are yours entirely;
they will offer you their blood,
property, life and children,
as is said above,
when the need is far distant;
but when it approaches they turn against you.
Nevertheless, a prince
ought to inspire fear
in such a way that,
if he does not win love,
he avoids hatred;
because he can endure
very well being feared
whilst he is not hated,
which will always be
as long as he abstains from
the property of his citizens and subjects
and from their women.
--Machiavelli The Prince
