--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't doubt that every prince would…" description: "\"I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but since it is hard to accomodate these qualities, if you have to make a choice, to be feared i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/niccolo-machiavelli-368_advantage_i-don-t-doubt-that-every-prince-would-li_1667612.jpg" --- # I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but… ![“I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but since it is hard to accomodate these qualities, if you have to make a choice, to be feared is much safer than to be loved. For it is a good general rule about men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, fearful of danger…” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/niccolo-machiavelli-368_advantage_i-don-t-doubt-that-every-prince-would-li_1667612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/niccolo-machiavelli-368_advantage_i-don-t-doubt-that-every-prince-would-li_1667612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/niccolo-machiavelli-368_advantage_i-don-t-doubt-that-every-prince-would-li_1667612.jpg) > “I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but since it is hard to accomodate these qualities, if you have to make a choice, to be feared is much safer than to be loved. For it is a good general rule about men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, fearful of danger and greedy for gain…\[love\] is a link of obligation which men, because they are rotten, will break anything they think doing so serves their advantage; but fear involves dread of punishment, from which they can never escape.” [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders must choose between being loved or feared; fear is more reliable because people are selfish and ungrateful. **In simple terms:** Fear is safer than love for rulers. Key Takeaway Prioritize respect through authority. Themes power leadership human nature Mood cautious strategic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - governance - management - political strategy Key Concepts political realism ethics trust Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to earn both love and fear? - How does fear affect loyalty? A Different Perspective Fear may breed resentment and rebellion if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Deceiver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceiver/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Fickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fickle/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [To be feared is much safer then to be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/to-be-feared-is-much-safer-then-to-be-loved/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One can generally say this about men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain; and while you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-can-generally-say-this-about-men-that-they-are-ungrateful-fickle/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-can-make-this-generalization-about-men-they-are-ungrateful-fickle/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The fearful danger of the present time is that above the cry for authority, we forget that man stands alone before the ultimate authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-fearful-danger-of-the-present-time-is-that-above-the-cry-for/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“I believe there is no other difference between those who are called courageous and those who are branded craven than that the second are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/i-believe-there-is-no-other-difference-between-those-who-are-called/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-so-much-inclined-to-obey-immediate-needs-that-a/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-double-pleasure-to-deceive-the-deceiver/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is necessary that the prince should know how to color his nature well, and how to be a hypocrite and dissembler. For men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-necessary-that-the-prince-should-know-how-to-color-his-nature/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It makes him contemptible to be considered fickle, frivolous, effeminate, mean-spirited, irresolute, from all of which a prince should guard himself as from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-makes-him-contemptible-to-be-considered-fickle-frivolous/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Besides what has been said, people are fickle by nature; and it is a simple to convince them of something but difficult to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/besides-what-has-been-said-people-are-fickle-by-nature-and-it-is-a/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/people-are-by-nature-fickle-and-it-is-easy-to-persuade-them-of/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/of-mankind-we-may-say-in-general-they-are-fickle-hypocritical-and/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For, besides what has been said, it should be borne in mind that the temper of the multitude is fickle, and that while it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-besides-what-has-been-said-it-should-be-borne-in-mind-that-the/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/while-husbands-and-lovers-in-the-stories-are-of-all-kinds-ranging/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. 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