Book
The Prince
by Niccolò Machiavelli · 1532 · 1 reading card · public domain
AuthorNiccolò Machiavelli →ShelvesPhilosophy
1 card
The Prince · 1532
To rule effectively, study the world as it is, not as others wish it to be.
Machiavelli wrote for real princes, not for pretty moral stories. He observed that many kind-hearted rulers lost everything because they failed to anticipate betrayal. His advice, sometimes harsh, was that a leader should be ready for both kindness and firmness, depending on what the situation truly demands.
“It is much safer to be feared than loved, if one of the two must be wanting.”