Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed
to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. Because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. What is the most important idea the author wants readers to know? There are three means of holding a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom. The easiest way to hold a newly acquired state is to play on the citizens’ own interests. A government created by a prince knows that it is in its own interest to remain loyal to the prince. One way to hold a newly acquired state accustomed to freedom is to establish a friendly government.
There are three means of holding a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.
Explanation:
In Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince", he suggests ways for a prince or a ruler to effectively claim or rule over a land or state and have complete power/ control over it. This proposal to maintain political power is, according to him, the only way to effectively maintaining power over one's state.
Chapter 5 states three laws that will ensure the power retention of the ruler in three cases. These three circumstances are given in the passage in the question, of which the main idea of the whole thing being that of the three means of holding power in a newly acquired state. As this state may have been accustomed to having its own freedom for a long time, it is pertinent for the ruler to remember or know of ways to effectively exert his authority over the place while at the same time, not ruin or hurt the sentiment of the people.
