Where you cannot have both, fear is the more reliable basis of obedience because it depends on you rather than on them.
Machiavelli's 1532 argument, with his own qualification: fear must not become hatred, which is fatal, and hatred comes chiefly from seizing property.
In practice
- Machiavelli's own qualification, from The Prince (1532): the ruler must avoid being hated, and hatred comes chiefly from taking people's property.
- A manager feared but not hated gets compliance; one who is resented gets compliance and sabotage.
- Standing
- Machiavelli adds that fear must avoid becoming hatred, which is fatal.
- Subject
- Law & Politics
- Essay
- Rules that restrain power, and advice on using it