Quote by Niccolò Machiavelli: “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

Machiavelli pragmatically advises rulers that maintaining power is paramount, suggesting that fear is a more reliable motivator than affection. This controversial stance prioritizes stability and control over popularity, arguing that subjects are less likely to betray a ruler they fear.

Written during a fragmented Italy rife with political instability and warfare, Machiavelli advised rulers on securing power in a pragmatic and often ruthless manner.

Florentine diplomat, historian, and political philosopher whose treatise The Prince, written in 1513 and published in 1532, fundamentally changed how political power is analysed. He is often described as the founder of modern political science.