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But coming to the other point-where a leading citizen becomes the

prince of his country, not by wickedness or any intolerable

violence, but by the favour of his fellow citizens-this may be

called a civil principality: nor is genius or fortune altogether

necessary to attain to it, but rather a happy shrewdness. I say

then that such a principality is obtained either by the favour of

the people or by the favour of the nobles. Because in all cities

these two distinct parties are found, and from this it arises

that the people do not wish to be ruled nor oppressed by the

nobles, and the nobles wish to rule and oppress the people; and

from these two opposite desires there arises in cities one of

three results, either a principality, self-government, or

anarchy.