According to Machiavelli, is it better for a leader to be loved or feared? Meaning should a leader want people to love them or be afraid of them? Provide evidence from the text to justify
your answer (minimum 5 sentences).

Machiavelli viewed humans as “ungrateful, fickle, false.” As such, they are ready to abandon the prince as soon as their interests are attacked. People are in it for themselves and their support to the prince is entirely predicated upon whether that will benefit them.

On the contrary, fear will prevent man from acting against their own interest. It is far easier to keep them in line with the prince’s wishes when the threat of punishment is laid bare. Since people value their lives and properties, as long as the prince doesn’t impinge on those BUT makes it clear that he at any moment could, they will capitulate.