Princes must not be fooled by displays of zeal in tranquil times, since few citizens stand firm in troubled times and the experiment of relying on them can be tried only once; therefore, a wise prince should make subjects always feel the need of the State and of him to secure enduring fidelity.

By Niccolò Machiavelli, from The Prince

Key Arguments

  • In calm times, citizens readily promise—even to die—when danger is remote, but in crisis, few can be found.
  • The risk is greater because the experiment can only be made once; failure is terminal.
  • Accordingly, the prince should engineer conditions so subjects continually feel their need of the State and of him, ensuring faithfulness in all seasons.

Source Quotes

And in times of peril it is too late for a Prince to assume to himself an absolute authority, for the citizens and subjects who are accustomed to take their orders from the magistrates, will not when dangers threaten take them from the Prince, so that at such seasons there will always be very few in whom he can trust. Such Princes, therefore, must not build on what they see in tranquil times when the citizens feel the need of the State. For then every one is ready to run, to promise, and, danger of death being remote, even to die for the State.
For then every one is ready to run, to promise, and, danger of death being remote, even to die for the State. But in troubled times, when the State has need of its citizens, few of them are to be found. And the risk of the experiment is the greater in that it can only be made once. Wherefore, a wise Prince should devise means whereby his subjects may at all times, whether favourable or adverse, feel the need of the State and of him, and then they will always be faithful to him.
And the risk of the experiment is the greater in that it can only be made once. Wherefore, a wise Prince should devise means whereby his subjects may at all times, whether favourable or adverse, feel the need of the State and of him, and then they will always be faithful to him.

Key Concepts

  • Such Princes, therefore, must not build on what they see in tranquil times when the citizens feel the need of the State.
  • in troubled times, when the State has need of its citizens, few of them are to be found. And the risk of the experiment is the greater in that it can only be made once.
  • a wise Prince should devise means whereby his subjects may at all times, whether favourable or adverse, feel the need of the State and of him, and then they will always be faithful to him.

Context

Chapter 9 (lines 598-669), concluding prudential counsel about managing citizen dependence to guarantee loyalty in adversity.