Niccolò Machiavelli

Works

The Prince, 1532

In Tactics of Organizational Politics

Ideas

Leaving blame to others. Princes "ought to leave affairs of reproach to the management of others, and keep those of grace in their own hands" (chapter 19). His example is Cesare Borgia, who put a harsh deputy, Remirro de Orco, in charge of pacifying the Romagna, then had him executed and displayed so the people would see that any cruelty had not originated with Borgia (chapter 7).

The fox and the lion. A ruler must know how to act like both beasts, the fox to recognize traps and the lion to frighten wolves (chapter 18). He should appear merciful, faithful, humane, and upright, while being ready to act otherwise when necessity requires.

On keeping subjects divided. Machiavelli reports the old practice of ruling subject towns by fostering factions among them and rejects it: "I do not believe that factions can ever be of use" (chapter 20), because divided cities are quickly lost when an enemy approaches. Caveat: Writers should not attribute "divide and rule" to Machiavelli as advice; in The Prince he argues against it.

What it explains

The Prince is a classic of statecraft written as advice to a ruler; it is not a work of research. Its lasting contribution to organizational politics is the plain description of how leaders separate themselves from unpopular acts, manage appearances, and use other people to carry blame.

Quotations

“princes ought to leave affairs of reproach to the management of others, and keep those of grace in their own hands” Chapter 19, translated by W. K. Marriott, 1908.

“I do not believe that factions can ever be of use” Chapter 20, translated by W. K. Marriott, 1908.