Chapter 5: Mergers & Acquisitions

In chapter V in ‘The Prince’: ‘How cities or Principalities are to be governed that previous to being conquered had lived under their own laws’, Machiavelli a.o. specifies that in conquered states that have been accustomed to live under a prince it is sufficient to extinguish the line of the former prince, whereas conquered states that have been accustomed to liberty and the government of their own laws, can be held by the conqueror in three different ways. The first is to ruin them; the second, for the conqueror to reside there, and the third is to allow them to continue to live under their own laws, subject to a regular tribute. He states that whoever becomes master of a city that has been accustomed to liberty, and does not destroy it must expect to be ruined, for the inhabitants will always resort to rebellion in the name of liberty and their ancient institutions, which will never be effaced from their memory.

To what extent do Machiavelli’s thoughts apply to the roles and responsibilities of modern leaders from different countries, cultures and trades? What is the best way to hold or govern conquered states, organisations or corporations that have been accustomed to live in freedom under their own laws?

Discover The Mind of a Leader…

Participants:
  Hans Engell
  Jokke
  Bengt Baron
  John Dunn
  Lars Håkanson