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The Prince Notes

THE PRINCE

By Niccolo Machiavelli

-The five methods of how one comes into power:

Favor, luck, ability, complete evil, favor of fellow citizens

-How one controls power:

Always have a position on a matter.  Neutrality is considered a sign of weakness.  Do not abuse your power, however do not be hesitant of using it.

-Determining the strength of enemies:

Based on size of their territory, ability of their leader, defensive capabilities, and whether they need allies to defend themselves from attack or if they can fend for themselves.

-How to rule over new territories conquered through arms:

Live amongst your people, be fair, and just, yet rule with firmness

-How to have citizens not rebel against you:

Do not ask of intolerable tasks.  Always amaze them with acts of magnificent glory portraying power and an aura of lordship.

-Building up alliances:

Ally with those who pose a threat to you, until the time is right for attack against them.  The best way to keep an eye on an enemy is have him working with or for you.

-How to govern cities which had laws before being conquered:

Those who are accustomed to life under laws must continue to live as such.  Upon conquering, new, and fair laws must be installed and enforced by your government.  Direct involvement is also necessary, and input from the citizens is very useful as well.

-The foundations of all states are good laws and good armies:

The arms used to defend one’s state must be his own, or mercenaries, or auxiliaries, or a combination of all three.  However, the latter two are dangerous and not always trustworthy.  Trained armies, clear command structure.  Auxiliary troops are troops, which are sent to you for aid from an ally to help defend you, are useless, as they will fight only half heartedly, if you lose, you will be ruined, and if you win, you will be at their mercy.  Always form armies comprised of your own men.  Any territory, which does not have its own army, is weak, and open to attack.

-How rules should act concerning military matters:

A ruler should always be concerned with military matters, and in peacetime he should be even more taken up with them than in war.  There are two ways of doing this: one is by going on training exercises, and the other is by study.

-Things for which rulers are praised or blamed:

Any ruler who wishes to maintain his power must be prepared to act immorally when this comes becomes necessary.  To act honorably at all times will lead to a ruler’s eventual downfall.  Generosity towards his subjects, to levy fair taxes, defending his subjects.  However, over generosity will cause you to lack financial funds.

-Cruelty and mercifulness, and whether it is better to be loved or feared:

Every ruler should want to be thought merciful, not cruel, nevertheless, one should take care not to be merciful in an inappropriate way.  Men are less hesitant about offending or harming a ruler who makes himself loved than one who inspires fear; therefore a certain amount of fear should be instilled upon the hearts of your subjects at all times.  If it is necessary to execute anyone, it should be done only if there is a proper justification and obvious reason.

-How rulers should keep their promises:

There are two ways of contending, one, by using laws, the other, force.  The first is appropriate for men, the second, for animals; but because the former is often ineffective, one may have to recourse to the latter.  A ruler should not make false promises, and should make efforts to keep those, which he makes.

-How contempt and hatred should be avoided:

A ruler should display grandeur, courage, seriousness, and strength, and his decisions about private disputes of his subjects should be irrevocable.  He should maintain this reputation, so that no one should think of lying to him, or scheming to trick him.

-Whether building fortresses and many other things that rulers frequently do are useful or not:

To maintain power, some rulers have disarmed their subjects; others have encouraged factions in towns subject to them.  But if you disarm your subjects, you begin to offend them, for you show that you do not trust them, either because you are weak and cowardly, or because you are too suspicious.  And both these reasons cause you to become hated.  Fortresses are sometimes useful as a stronghold to strengthen one’s power.

-How a ruler should act in order to gain reputation:

Nothing enables a ruler to gain more prestige than undertaking great campaigns and performing unusual deeds.  A ruler is also highly regarded if he is either a true ally or an outright enemy, that is, if he unhesitatingly supports one ruler against another.  This policy is always better then remaining neutral, since if two powerful rulers near you come to blows, either the eventual victor will become a threat to you, or he will not.  In either case, you should intervene early and support one side strongly.

-The secretaries of rulers:

If they are capable and loyal, taken to be shrewd.  There are three kinds of mind: the first grasps things unaided, the second when they are explained, the third never understands at all.  The first kind is exceptionally good, the second very good, and the third useless.  If ministers and rulers have a close knit relationship, then they can depend on each other and have confidence, but if they do not, the outcome will always be that one or the other is harmed.  A ruler should never lack advice, but should have it when he wants it, not when others want to give it.