A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Leaders can always find justifications to renege on promises when circumstances change.
- In plain terms
- It is easy to find excuses to break a promise.
- What can you take from it?
- Promises are flexible for those in power.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is breaking a promise right?
- How do you protect against this?
Another view
This treats ethics as purely instrumental to success.
More from Niccolo Machiavelli
You must know there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because th…
Permalink to quote #16 The prince must consider, as has been in part said before, how to avoid those things which will make him hated or contemptible; and as often as he shall have s…
Permalink to quote #18 Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty o…
Permalink to quote #15
Related quotes
[Alan Cranston] understood power not as a reflection of status but as a tool with a purpose.' - Sen. Joseph Biden December 31, 2000 on Meet the Press
Alan CranstonAlan Cranston quote #1 The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use - of how to get men of power to live for the public …
Robert F. KennedyRobert F. Kennedy quote #1 Idque apud imperitos humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset.
TacitusTacitus quote #1