Political Wisdom from Napoleon

The best of both worlds: "The true policy of a government is to make use of aristocracy, but under the forms and in the spirit of democracy."

Survival of the most paranoid: "A prince should suspect everything."

Contradicting your own decisions is a terrible energy, and authority, leak: "The thing to avoid is not so much error as self-contradiction. It is especially by the latter that authority loses its force."

Idleness and doubting yourself are two great dangers: "We are made weak both by idleness and distrust of ourselves. Unfortunate, indeed, is he who suffers from both. If he is a mere individual he becomes nothing; if he is a king he is lost."

Do not assume you need reason to sway men; it is often absurdities that hold the strongest sway over large groups of people: "One is more certain to influence men, to produce more effect on them, by absurdities than by sensible ideas."

Bold moves win the day when prudence cannot: "Prudence is good when one has the choice of means. When one hasn't, it is daring which achieves success."

Just like a ceremony is religion codified and embodied, so is displaying power a way to codify and embody it: "Display is to power what ceremony is to religion."

Ultimately only listening to your own judgement is the mark of a superior mind: "The superior man is not by nature impressionable. We praise him, we blame him; it matters little to him. It is to his own judgment that he listens."

Love is dangerous for the powerful: "Love is the occupation of the idle, the distraction of the soldier, the danger of the monarch."

Napoleon was a shockingly deep thinker. Here are his best insights on religion, human nature, war, and much more:

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Napoleon Bonaparte's Aphorisms Explore @jashdholani's favorite ideas, collected on Memo'd