Machiavelli on why staying neutral rarely keeps you safe. From The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli, 1513.
In 192 BC, the Seleucid king Antiochus III landed in Greece. The Aetolians had invited him to drive out the Romans.
Both sides sent speakers to the council of the Achaeans, at Aegium. Antiochus’ side made an offer that sounded like safety. Stay out of it, they said. Watch the war like spectators, and risk nothing.
In chapter 21 of The Prince, Machiavelli argued that a leader caught between two warring neighbors should take a side. His example: in 192 BC, the Achaeans turned down Antiochus’ offer to stay neutral and sided with Rome, which won. He added a warning: never join a stronger power to attack others unless you must.
Standing back rarely keeps you safe; it just leaves you alone. Practical advice: when a choice truly involves you, say plainly where you stand.
Likely, on the evidence · checked against 5 sourcesPick one question you’ve been sitting out at work, and say where you honestly stand.
“Two people I work with are at odds, and both want my support. How do I choose without making an enemy?”
Get Off the Fence and the other 11 ideas of The Prince, a minute at a time.
Download on theApp StoreEvery idea is drawn from the public-domain text, and its names, dates and quotes are checked against the sources listed with it. The paintings are made for Counsel; they show the scene, not a historical record.
