The Prince

Punti chiave

• Leaders who act on how things ought to be lose to those who see how things are
• Fortune is a river; you cannot stop it, but you can build dikes early
• Be feared if you must, but never hated, because hatred ends reigns
• Combine the lion's strength with the fox's cunning and adapt to the times
• Keep your own capabilities and a few advisers who are allowed to disagree

All'interno di questo bit

1. How power actually works

   In 1513 a sacked Florentine official sat down in exile and wrote a short book for the Medici family, describing how rulers really win and keep states. Niccolo Machiavelli's work shocked readers because it described what leaders do rather than what they should do, and it has been called cynical ever since.

2. Fortune is a river; build dikes

   Machiavelli splits success into two forces: fortune, the luck and circumstance you cannot control, and virtu, the skill, energy and nerve you bring. He pictures fortune as a river that floods and destroys when it rises, but that a wise ruler prepares for in calm seasons by building banks and channels.

3. Feared, but never hated

   The most famous question in the book is whether it is better to be loved or feared. Machiavelli answers that both together is ideal, but if you must choose, fear is safer, because love depends on the other person's goodwill and fear depends on you.

4. The lion and the fox

   A leader, Machiavelli says, must be both a lion and a fox: the lion to frighten off wolves, the fox to spot traps. Strength alone is stupid and cunning alone is weak.

5. Own arms, honest advisers

   Two practical themes explain how states quietly rot. The first concerns armies.

6. Put it to work

   This week, list the three things that would hurt your project most if fortune turned, and build one small dike against each, such as savings or a backup supplier. Check whether the people around you are respecting your standards or just fearing your moods, and fix the moods.