Machiavelli Quotes – Insights into Politics and Power

It is better to be feared than loved. – Machiavelli

Politics have no relation to morals. – Machiavelli

A wise ruler does not reveal his intentions. – Machiavelli

The ends justify the means. – Machiavelli

Fortune favors the bold. – Machiavelli

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. – Machiavelli

It is better to be parsimonious with generosity than wasteful. – Machiavelli

Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception. – Machiavelli

The greatest happiness of the prince is to oppress his subjects. – Machiavelli

A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise. – Machiavelli

A leader must be both a fox and a lion. – Machiavelli

Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand. – Machiavelli

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others. – Machiavelli

There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things. – Machiavelli

Men are so simple and so much creatures of circumstance that the deceiver will always find someone ready to be deceived. – Machiavelli

When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence. – Machiavelli

Politics have no relation to morals. – Machiavelli

Machiavelli Quotes – Insights into Politics and Power part 2

It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved. – Machiavelli

The first ruling principle of the politician should be to never reveal what he feels for the welfare of humanity. – Machiavelli

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it. – Machiavelli

I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. – Machiavelli

There is no other way to secure yourself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth. – Machiavelli

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. – Machiavelli

Politics is the struggle for power; all else is decoration. – Machiavelli

The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present. – Machiavelli

War is just when it is necessary; injustice is just when it is advantageous. – Machiavelli

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally. – Machiavelli

The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms. – Machiavelli

The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves. – Machiavelli

The distance is great between the head that conceives and the hand that executes. – Machiavelli

The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous. – Machiavelli

The one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of the times does not. – Machiavelli

It is better to be impetuous than cautious, for fortune is a woman, and it is necessary, if one wants to master her, to beat and strike her. – Machiavelli

One who deceives will always find someone willing to be deceived. – Machiavelli

In the actions of all men, and especially of princes, where there is no impartial arbiter, one must consider the final result. – Machiavelli

The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people. – Machiavelli

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. – Machiavelli

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally. – Machiavelli

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. – Machiavelli

I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. – Machiavelli

There is no other way to secure yourself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth. – Machiavelli

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great. – Machiavelli

Before all else, be armed. – Machiavelli

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it. – Machiavelli

In the affairs of this world, men are saved not through faith, but by the lack of it. – Machiavelli