- The 48 Laws of Power
Infobox Book
name = The 48 Laws of Power
image_caption =
author = Robert Greene
country = United States
subject = History & Theory, Self-Help, Social Philosophy
publisher =Viking Press (HC);HighBridge Audio CD
release_date = 1998 (HC); 2007 (CD)
pages = 448
running time = 8.75 hours
isbn = ISBN 0670881465 (HC); ISBN 9781598870923 (CD)"The 48 Laws of Power" is a 1998 book by Robert Greene. The book shares thematic elements with
Niccolò Machiavelli 's "The Prince " [cite web
last= Waldren
first= Murray
url= http://members.optusnet.com.au/~waldrenm/power.html
title= Review - The 48 Laws of Power
date= 1999 ] and has been compared toSun-Tzu 's classic treatiseThe Art of War .ources and inspirations
Greene uses
anecdote s from historical figures such asLouis XIV ,Talleyrand ,Otto von Bismarck ,Catherine the Great ,Mao Zedong ,Haile Selassie ,Lola Montez ,Saul Alinsky and variouscon artist s in order to illustrate real-world application of the 48 rules. Greene's modern courtship theory was inspired by the writings ofBaltasar Gracian andNiccolò Machiavelli .Fact|date=June 2008 Greene also often tries to use anamoral approach, mimickingMachiavellian language, leaving the reader to weigh the ethical implications of the laws.External links
* [http://www.powerseductionandwar.com Power, Seduction and War: The Robert Greene Blog] has expanded many of the themes from this book, which he commonly refers to as the POWER book.
* [http://www2.tech.purdue.edu/cg/Courses/cgt411/covey/48_laws_of_power.htm The 48 Laws of Power] is an abridged online version of the book.
The Laws
*Law 1 Never Outshine the Master
*Law 2 Never put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies
*Law 3 Conceal your Intentions
*Law 4 Always Say Less than Necessary
*Law 5 So Much Depends on Reputation – Guard it with your Life
*Law 6 Court Attention at all Cost
*Law 7 Get others to do the Work for you, but Always Take the Credit
*Law 8 Make other People come to you – use Bait if Necessary
*Law 9 Win through your Actions, Never through Argument
*Law 10 Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky
*Law 11 Learn to Keep People Dependent on You
*Law 12 Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm your Victim
*Law 13 When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest, Never to their Mercy or Gratitude
*Law 14 Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
*Law 15 Crush your Enemy Totally
*Law 16 Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor
*Law 17 Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability
*Law 18 Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation is Dangerous
*Law 19 Know Who You’re Dealing with – Do Not Offend the Wrong Person
*Law 20 Do Not Commit to Anyone
*Law 21 Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker – Seem Dumber than your Mark
*Law 22 Use the Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power
*Law 23 Concentrate Your Forces
*Law 24 Play the Perfect Courtier
*Law 25 Re-Create Yourself
*Law 26 Keep Your Hands Clean
*Law 27 Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following
*Law 28 Enter Action with Boldness
*Law 29 Plan All the Way to the End
*Law 30 Make your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
*Law 31 Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards you Deal
*Law 32 Play to People’s Fantasies
*Law 33 Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew
*Law 34 Be Royal in your Own Fashion: Act like a King to be treated like one
*Law 35 Master the Art of Timing
*Law 36 Disdain Things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best Revenge
*Law 37 Create Compelling Spectacles
*Law 38 Think as you like but Behave like others
*Law 39 Stir up Waters to Catch Fish
*Law 40 Despise the Free Lunch
*Law 41 Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes
*Law 42 Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep will Scatter
*Law 43 Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others
*Law 44 Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect
*Law 45 Preach the Need for Change, but Never Reform too much at Once
*Law 46 Never appear too Perfect
*Law 47 Do not go Past the Mark you Aimed for; In Victory, Learn when to Stop
*Law 48 Assume FormlessnessReferences
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