And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we… - Niccolò Machiavelli

Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved

My view is that it is desirable to be both loved and feared; but it is difficult to achieve both and, if one of them has to be lacking, it is much safer to be feared than loved.

This raises the question whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the contrary. My reply is that I would like to be both but as it is difficult to combine love and fear, if one has to choose between them it is far safer to be feared than loved

Because fear and ove can hardly co exist together,if we must chose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

... one would like to be both [loved and feared], but as it is difficult to combine both love and fear, if one has to choose between them it is far safer to be feared than loved

He said that it always struck him with surprise that while men in buying an earthen or glass vase would sound it first to learn if it were good, yet in choosing a wife they were content with only looking at her.

... He who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new... partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.

In judging policies we should consider the results that have been achieved through them rather than the means by which they have been executed.