It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be… — Niccolò Machiavelli | Printable Wall Art

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

Words by Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) — Italian political philosopher, author of The Prince.

About this quote

Machiavelli argues that political power requires stability above all else. While being both loved and feared is ideal, love is fickle and depends on the goodwill of others. Fear, however, relies on obligations that a leader can control. Therefore, when forced to choose, a pragmatic ruler relies on fear to maintain order and prevent rebellion.

This passage comes from Niccolò Machiavelli's political treatise, The Prince, written around 1513 and published in 1532. It offers pragmatic advice to Renaissance rulers on acquiring and maintaining political power.

People often hang this print in a home office or study as a stark reminder of realistic leadership and authority.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.