Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Men forget losing family members faster than they forget losing their property or inheritance.
In plain terms
People remember theft of property more than the death of relatives.
What can you take from it?
Property theft leaves a deeper resentment than personal loss.

Where it applies

  • law
  • conflict
  • governance

Putting it to work

  • protect property rights
  • understand economic drivers of conflict

Questions to consider

  • Why do people value property more than life?
  • Is economic loss more motivating than personal loss?

Another view

This generalization may not hold for all cultures or individuals.

More from Niccolo Machiavelli

  1. A leader ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred.

    Permalink to quote #41
  2. It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.

    Permalink to quote #43
  3. War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to e…

    Permalink to quote #40

Related quotes

  1. The world isn't fair, but as long as it's tilting in my direction I find that there's a natural cap to my righteous indignation.

    Scott AdamsScott Adams quote #4
  2. It was enemies one wanted, not friends.

    Virginia WoolfVirginia Woolf quote #6
  3. Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing …

    George OrwellGeorge Orwell quote #22