Machiavelli's views revolved around the ideas that one must do anything within his (Machiavelli did not refer to 'her') power to keep the influence and power that he has attained. For him, anything that must be done in order not to lose the influence and the power that one has should be done without question. 'The ends justifies the means', he said. The power of one that rules must be kept by keeping the people in constant fear. Without the fear in the people, the trust that they have in their leader will whither and they will start to look for other leaders to take the place of the one that they believe to be weak.
Machiavelli thought that the importance of this tactic should override all others. Although, he believed in emanating a sense of fear to the people that were being ruled, he also believed that without the people, the ruler or leader is worthless and will be overcome.
Famous posthumous portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli...
English: Tomb of Niccolò Machiavelli in the Basil...
Santi di Tito’s famous portrait of Niccolò Mach...One must have support of the people, while constantly keeping them in check with the rules and regulations that he has set.
These thoughts today would be looked at as dictatorial and likened with the beliefs and felling of such hated groups as the Nazis. In today's system, societies that have been lead by rulers with such a mentality have not lasted very long. It seems that these days the general populace have much less tolerance for those rulers that believe in doing anything for the sake of themselves and supposedly the society at large. I believe that such rulers today are not tolerated (and should not be tolerated) There is no room for this type of thinking in modern day life. Respect is another factor that was very important to Machiavelli and his way of thinking.