Niccolo Machiavelli

States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have read more

States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have roots and ramifications; the first bad weather kills them

The chief foundations of all states... are good laws and good arms. And as there cannot be good laws where read more

The chief foundations of all states... are good laws and good arms. And as there cannot be good laws where there are not good arms... where there are good arms there must be good laws...

For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced read more

For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are

No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.

No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.

The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good read more

The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms - you cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow