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About this quote

What does it mean?
Allies won through victory may oppose you after a loss.
In plain terms
Winners gain friends who switch sides when you lose.
What can you take from it?
Power attracts unreliable allies.

Where it applies

  • politics
  • business
  • war

Putting it to work

  • verify ally motives
  • plan for loss

Questions to consider

  • Who stays loyal when things fail?
  • How do you judge allies?

Another view

Some alliances are built on shared values not just wins.

More from Napoleon Bonaparte

  1. The act of policing is, in order to punish less often, to punish more severely.

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  2. The aristocracy has the advantage of concentrating the power of Government into less dangerous hands than those of the ignorant multitude.

    Permalink to quote #156
  3. Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.

    Permalink to quote #153

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