Chapter 19

By David Villacorta

This chapter talks about avoiding being despised and hated, he summons it up when he says that it is only necessary to keep the people happy to avoid being abducted from power by murdering or by plotting against the ruler. If most people are happy, then few will want to join a conspiracy and it will make the ruler last longer.

Now, he quotes several examples of emperors who were hated not by the people but by the army, who once turned against their wicked ways, found a loophole to plot and remove the emperor from power.

So it seems like there has to be a level for avoiding being hated. Because we have  to avoid being hated by the army, the nobles and the people, if we are hated by all, then our cause is lost. So it seems like the best way is to keep a game with all parties and sort of make them happy.

It looks like this is applied today. Who is the ruler supposed to benefit or keep happy? middle, low or upper class? It seems like he has to play a key role to maintain power. The one class that would keep him in power must be enough to maintain his position.