Fear Quote by Niccolo Machiavelli
“For a prince should have two fears: one, internal concerning his subjects; the other, external, concerning foreign powers. From the latter he can always defend himself by his good troops and friends; and he will always have good friends if he has good troops.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli, 1532
A ruler must fear both internal dissent and external threats, but can rely on strong troops and loyal allies for defense and support.
In simple terms: Rulers need to guard against internal and external dangers, using troops and friends for security.
Key Takeaway
Build loyal forces and friendships to safeguard power.
Themes
politics
leadership
security
Mood
cautious
strategic
Type
advice
political
When to use this quote
- government stability
- military planning
- diplomacy
- conflict prevention
Key Concepts
Machiavellian strategy
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance military strength with civic trust?
- What internal signs indicate rising dissent?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on troops may neglect political reforms and public goodwill.
![“It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president [Barack Obama] has consistently said - which I agree with - is that we will support those who take the fight to ISIS. That is why we have troops in Iraq that are helping to train and build back up the Iraqi military, why we have…” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f1e/hillary-clinton-51_agree_it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-thi_19737.jpg)
![“I think the president's [Barack Obama] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the ground, in fact one of the Republican criticisms is he's got thousands of Americans there. We just don't call them troops on the ground, we don't admit to it. But…” quote by Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f9c/juan-williams-7909_aggressive_i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-pos_17086.jpg)
