Men are more apt to be mistaken in their generalizations than in their particular observations.

The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms you cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow.

It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes. The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is lukewarm ... partly because men are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

Human beings remain constant in their methods of conduct.

The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.

For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.

Men seldom rise from low condition to high rank without employing either force or fraud, unless that rank should be attained either by gift or inheritance.