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Law 10
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The 48 Laws of Power, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power, Morality, and Pragmatism
Emotion vs. Action
The Pitfalls of Greed
History and Human Nature
Summary
Analysis
Learn to keep people dependent on you. Greene states that it’s easiest to stay independent and to hold on to power if other people come to rely on you. Some famous mercenaries in Italy in the Middle Ages learned this law the hard way, as they protected cities, only to find themselves executed the next day because they were seen as disposable, able to be replaced by younger mercenaries. By contrast, Otto von Bismarck of Prussia deliberately formed alliances with people who had only a tenuous hold on power, in order to make his help indispensable to them.
In Greene’s book, other people play an important role in power struggles, but independence is even more important. One way to become independent is, paradoxically, to make others more dependent on you. The two contrasting stories that Greene tells in this section both involve helping others for personal gain. Unlike the Italian mercenaries, however, who took a quick paycheck, Bismarck was more strategic in considering the long-term benefits of helping others.
Active
Themes
Greene thinks it’s a mistake to believe independence is ultimate power—power always involves close relationships, whether it’s with allies, pawns, or even less powerful masters. One of the best ways to make others dependent on you is to learn their secrets, which gives you power over them, although you have to be cautious not to create too much resentment. Exceptions to this law arise when making others depend on you would in turn make you too dependent on them. Becoming a monopoly can be isolating, and pursuing this drive too far can be pointless, creating too much pressure and scrutiny on yourself.
Active
Themes
