"To govern a state of middle size, one must dispatch business with dignity and good faith; be thrifty and love all men; mobilize the people only at the right times."
Confucius' advice to rulers directly juxtaposes Machiavelli's writings in "The Prince." The book is essentially a "Guide to Ruling for Dummies," with the theme that the appearance of virtue is more important than true virtue itself. Confucius, on the other hand, clearly promotes a genuine relationship between a ruler and his people. The differences in approach are due to the fact that Machiavelli is writing with the ruler's best interest in mind, while Confucius believes in a selfless ruler, where politics is about the people.
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