Feared or Loved?

What Machiavelli Actually Said

The popular version — 'it is better to be feared than loved' — is a distortion. Machiavelli's actual argument in Chapter 17 of 'The Prince' is more nuanced:

He writes that a prince should ideally be both feared and loved, but since it is difficult to be both, 'it is much safer to be feared than loved, if one of the two has to be wanting.' His reasoning is psychological: love is maintained by obligation, which people break when it suits their interest, but fear is maintained by the threat of punishment, which 'never fails.'

Crucially, Machiavelli adds a qualifier that is usually omitted: 'a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred.' Fear is useful; hatred is fatal. A ruler who is feared but not hated can survive; one who is hated will eventually be overthrown.

Cruelty 'Well Used'

Machiavelli introduced the disturbing concept of cruelty 'well used' versus cruelty 'badly used.' Well-used cruelty is 'committed once, out of necessity to assure one's position, and is not continued thereafter.' Badly used cruelty is that which 'grows with time rather than being extinguished.'

His example is Cesare Borgia's governor Remirro de Orco, who pacified the turbulent Romagna region through brutal repression. When order was restored, Borgia had de Orco publicly executed and his body displayed in the town square — simultaneously demonstrating that he was in control and that he would not tolerate ongoing brutality. Machiavelli describes this as 'well used' violence: strategic, limited, and designed to establish order rather than perpetuate terror.