the 48 laws of power, click to read all of them and their applications

By: Usman Haruna

The 48 Laws of power

Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

King Louis XIV and his Finance Minister Fouquet
In 17th century France, Finance Minister Nicholas Fouquet had spent enormous sums in building a magnificent château on his estate of Vaux-le-Vicomte. He then threw a lavish party to show off his connections, cultivated manner and charm. Thinking this move would make him an indispensable asset to the king, Fouquet had actually offended his master who did not like the fact people were more charmed by his finance minister than by him. He unintentionally outshone his master, King Louis XIV, making the King feel insecure. In 1661, at age 23, Louis XIV visited Vaux-le-Vicomte, the country estate of his finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, and was outraged by its magnificence.

The King found a convenient excuse to get rid of Fouquet who then spent the next 20 years of his life in prison. King Louis XIV went ahead to build Palace of Versailles which was much more grander and lavish than the Chateau built by Fouquet to display his charms and connections.

How Galileo used the Law in his favor?
Galileo was clever in observing this law by giving glory to his patrons. In order to solve his perennial problem of funding, he dedicated his discovery of the moons of Jupiter to the Medici, since the royal symbol of the Medici family was the planet Jupiter. He then commissioned an emblem for them, with each moon representing one of the sons who revolved around the patriarch. The Medici family became his major patron, appointing him their official court mathematician and philosopher, thereby giving him a more comfortable life and a steady salary.

Lesson:
• Present your ideas in a way that they echo your boss’s thought
• Act less smarter than your boss
• Do not take your position at work or in life for granted
• Always make sure to make it seem like you want to seek the superior's expertise and advice. Discreet flattery is very powerful.

The 48 Laws of power

The Laws

Law 1: Never Outshine The Master Law 2: Never put too Much Trust in Friends Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions Law 4: Always Say Less than Necessary Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation Law 6: Court Attention at all Cost Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You Law 8: Make Other People Come To You Use Bait Law 9: Win Through Your Actions - Not Argument Law 10: Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky Law 11: Learn To Keep People Dependent on You Law 12: Use Selective Honesty to Disarm Your Victim Law 13: Asking for Help Appeal to People's Self Interest 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: Cultivate an air of Unpredictability Law 18: Isolation is Dangerous Law 19: Do Not Offend the Wrong Person Law 20: Do Not Commit to Anyone Law 21: Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker Law 22: Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power Law 23: Concentrate Your Forces Law 24: Play the Perfect Courtier Law 25: Recreate Yourself Law 26: Keep Your Hands Clean Law 27: Create a Cult: Play on People’s Need to Believe Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness Law 29: Plan all the way to the End Law 30: Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless Law 31: 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. Law 35: Master the Art of Timing Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have 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 Heart and Mind of Others Law 44: Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect Law 45: Preach Change But Never Reform Quickly. Law 46 Never Appear Too Perfect Law 47: In Victory Learn When To Stop Law 48: Assume Formlessness

Source: The 48 Laws of power