In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Get a copy of this study guide and learn about the book.Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. ⁃Ě Comprehensive Chapter by Chapter Study Guide These laws may seem scandalously frank, but you can apply them without violating any of the strictures of public morality, which, according to Robert, is the way to get the best results. The book focuses on how to gain power in any situation, regardless of whether it’s morally right or wrong, and it uses specific anecdotes from history to illustrate the “rules of power”. This book explores the nuances of manipulating people around you for establishing power.

Instead, the laws focus on how one can increase their influence over any situation, regardless of their moral consequences.

These laws are amoral as they themselves don’t take into account any sense of right or wrong. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a collection of “laws” based on historical and philosophical anecdotes. You invariably have to disguise both your means and your ends. This seems paradoxical but the fact remains that you cannot honestly and forthrightly pursue power. The one who can disguise his pursuit of power with his care for others ends up becoming the most powerful. It is widely held that those who seek power must seem to have no interest in it, and on the contrary they must pretend to care only about others. The more you get, the more you want.Įven though it is a fundamental human behavior, the desire for power is considered impolite and selfish. Power is like a drug that makes you stronger each time you taste it. Those who pretend to have no desire for power are either deceiving themselves or attempting to deceive others.

When one feels that he has no power over others or events, he is likely to be depressed. The desire for power is a fundamental human behavior. A Comprehensive Study Guide of The 48 Laws of Power

The 48 laws of power book