According to Nicolo Machiavelli what does the phrase "it is better to be feared than loved" mean?

Question

What does this phrase mean to him?

Answer 1

Good question.....

Fear last longer than love. It is easy to fall out of love for or with someone, but fear persist. It invades the very core of ones being. Thus a ruler who invokes fear in his subjects can maintain power longer. Fear is necessary and the "ends justifies the means"

Answer 2

In Machiavelli's "The Prince," he outlined ways for rulers to succeed in the way he thought was most effective. According to him, the better way to rule is by causing your subjects to fear you rather than gaining their love. From Machiavelli's perspective, when fear is inflicted on the people by the ruler, they will more likely follow the laws set forth and carry out the orders of the ruler. If they love the ruler, however, people cannot be relied upon to abide by the laws that are set.

This theory may or may not be true, but that's how Machiavelli saw it.

Answer 3

i think you can relax so deeply and accept things to such an extent that you feel love in everything. you will still react to oppose things which seem out of harmony with the circumstances, but there is what i guess is 'unconditional love' for life itself which goes beyond all circumstances and forms. i think letting go of the ideas which make us tense and consciously relaxing into every moment can take you to a love that is unconquerable. while i think this will give you great 'power' in the world, this love conquers the fear inside, rather than obstacles outside, which may still persist.

Answer 4

This is not to be meant to apply in general. It was intended to apply to an absolute ruler ( The Prince ) concerned with maintaining his power.

It should be obvious that it does not apply to relationships such as marriage or even to elected officials whose popularity is required for them to be re-elected.

Answer 5

It is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with.

Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you.