Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
For that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody because the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote discusses how appearances and perceptions shape the reputation of leaders and rulers, emphasizing that the views of the common people often prevail.
Machiavelli's quote highlights the importance of public perception in leadership. He suggests that a prince can maintain power and garner praise through successful appearances, regardless of the morality of the means employed to achieve those ends. The idea is that the masses, referred to as 'the vulgar,' often judge based on surface-level impressions rather than deeper truths, and true merit or insight is reserved for the few who can discern beyond what is merely visible.
Themes
LeadershipPerceptionPowerAppearanceMorality
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on leadership ethics, one could quote Machiavelli to illustrate the balance between moral actions and the need for effective governance.
More from Niccolo Machiavelli
All quotes →Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation.
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Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.
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And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and so, as I said above, if a prince wishes to maintain the state, he is often obliged not to be good; because whenever that group which you believe you need to support you is corrupted, whether it be the common people, the soldiers, or the nobles, it is to your advantage to follow their inclinations in order to satisfy them; and then good actions are your enemy.
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The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
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In war, discipline can do more than fury.
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