Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power has become a bible for Machiavellians the world over since it was first published in 1998.
The book is a distillation of 3,000 years of the history of power into 48 essential laws that can be applied by anyone who wishes to gain and maintain power.
The laws are grouped into 5 sections:
1. Laws 1-16: The laws of self-preservation
2. Laws 17-29: The laws of manipulation
3. Laws 30-38: The laws of expansion
4. Laws 39-45: The laws of scarcity
5. Laws 46-48: The laws of immortality
In this article, we will take a look at each of these sections in turn and examine some of the most important laws in each.
1. The laws of self-preservation
The first section of The 48 Laws of Power is devoted to the laws of self-preservation.
These laws are designed to help you protect yourself from those who would do you harm and to increase your own power and influence.
Some of the most important laws in this section include:
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: Sooner or Later Everyone Shows Their True Colors
Law 6: Learn to Read People
2. The laws of manipulation
The second section of The 48 Laws of Power is devoted to the laws of manipulation.
These laws are designed to help you manipulate those around you to your own advantage.
Some of the most important laws in this section include:
Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You, But Always Take the Credit
Law 8: Make Other People Come to You
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
3. The laws of expansion
The third section of The 48 Laws of Power is devoted to the laws of expansion.
These laws are designed to help you increase your power and influence.
Some of the most important laws in this section include:
Law 13: Raise Your Talents to the Utmost Height
Law 14: Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
Law 15: Never Appear Too Perfect
Law 16: Do Not Go Over the Top
Law 17: Play to People’s Fantasies
Law 18: Create Your Own Myth
4. The laws of scarcity
The fourth section of The 48 Laws of Power is devoted to the laws of scarcity.
These laws are designed to help you create an aura of scarcity around yourself to increase your power and influence.
Some of the most important laws in this section include:
Law 19: The Truth Is Always in Short Supply
Law 20: demand More Than You Can Supply
Law 21: Create a Scarcity of You
Law 22: Give People What They Want, But Not What They Expect
5. The laws of immortality
The fifth and final section of The 48 Laws of Power is devoted to the laws of immortality.
These laws are designed to help you create a legacy that will last long after you are gone.
Some of the most important laws in this section include:
Law 46: Never Let Your Guard Down
Law 47: Make Your Reputation Work for You
Law 48: Create Your Own Religion
Conclusion:
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a bible for Machiavellians the world over. The book is a distillation of 3,000 years of the history of power into 48 essential laws that can be applied by anyone who wishes to gain and maintain power. The laws are grouped into 5 sections: the laws of self-preservation, the laws of manipulation, the laws of expansion, the laws of scarcity, and the laws of immortality. In this article, we have looked at each of these sections in turn and examined some of the most important laws in each.