The Prince
by Nicolo Machiavelli
Chapter V
Concerning the way to govern cities or
principalities which lived under their own laws before they
were annexed
Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated
have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in
freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold
them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there
in person, the third is to permit them to live under their
own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an
oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. Because such a
government, being created by the prince, knows that it
cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does
it utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a
city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the
means of its own citizens than in any other way.
There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The
Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an
oligarchy, nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order
to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and
did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the
Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws,
and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to
dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is
no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them.
And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom
and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it,
for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and
its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither
time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever
you may do or provide against, they never forget that name
or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed,
but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa
after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the
Florentines.
But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under
a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the
one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having
the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst
themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves.
For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a
prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more
easily. But in republics there is more vitality, greater
hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never
permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to
rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside
there.
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- The Prince
by Nicolo Machiavelli
Chapter IV
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