Loved vs Feared (which side to optimize)

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Chapter XVII's most famous sentence. When forced to choose, be feared rather than loved. Machiavelli's reasoning is not what most readers assume: it's not that fear works, it's that love is structurally less reliable.

The actual doctrine: 1. Wish for both. Difficulty is in uniting them. 2. If forced, fear over love (the bind is more durable). 3. Hatred is the only unacceptable state. 4. The maintainer of "not hated": hands off people's property and women.

How it's structured

  1. Verbatim core > "Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish t…
  2. Verbatim core > "Friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and…
  3. The qualification most people miss > "Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very wel…
  4. The qualification most people miss The actual doctrine: 1. Wish for both. Difficulty is in uniting them. 2. If forced, fear over love (the bind is more durable). 3. **Hatred…

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