Machiavelli Lives

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) gets a bad rap from most people who hears the name and thinks, “Machiavellian”, but 500 years after writing The Prince it is still amazingly relevant…

With all the hot air that’s going to blow tomorrow in Parliament I thought it will be funnier to ponder on some of his quotes rather than hear 28 people praise their PM.

For Jack Warner (yesterday was yesterday and today is today infamy) and his PM:

“a general rule is drawn which never or rarely fails: that he who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined; because that predominancy has been brought about either by astuteness or else by force, and both are distrusted by him (in this case – her) who has been raised to power”

For Jack Warner again, but with regard to “Bellies” Rambachan:

” If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared”

For the 28 MPs who will be ramajaying tomorrow for their PM:

 

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him”

 

But more importantly for the general population to understand why they will lie:

 

“There is no other way of guarding oneself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth; but when everyone can tell you the truth, you lose their respect”