The 48 Laws of Power

The 48 Laws of Power (1998) is a non-fiction book by American author Robert Greene. The book is a New York Times bestseller, selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States.
Background
Greene initially formulated some of the ideas in The 48 Laws of Power while working as a writer in Hollywood and concluding that today's power elite shared similar traits with powerful figures throughout history. In 1995, Greene worked as a writer at Fabrica, an art and media school, and met a book packager named Joost Elffers. Greene pitched a book about power to Elffers and six months later, Elffers requested that Greene write a treatment.
Although Greene was quite unhappy in his job, he was comfortable and saw the time needed to write a proper book proposal as too risky. However, at the time Greene was rereading his favorite biography about Julius Caesar and took inspiration from Caesar's decision to cross the Rubicon River and fight Pompey, thus inciting the Great Roman Civil War. Greene wrote the treatment, which would later become The 48 Laws of Power. He would note this as the turning point of his life.
Reception
The 48 Laws of Power has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States and has been translated into 24 languages. Fast Company called the book a "mega cult classic", and The Los Angeles Times noted that The 48 Laws of Power turned Greene into a "cult hero with the hip-hop set, Hollywood elite and prison inmates alike".
The 48 Laws of Power has been reported to be much requested in American prison libraries, and has been studied as a first-year text in some US colleges. Rapper 50 Cent stated that he related to the book "immediately", and approached Greene with the prospect of a potential collaboration, which would later become The 50th Law, another New York Times bestseller. Busta Rhymes and Derrius Jackson used The 48 Laws of Power to deal with problematic movie producers. The 48 Laws of Power has also been mentioned in songs by UGK, Jay Z, Kanye West, Central Cee, MF DOOM, and Drake.
Dov Charney, founder and former CEO of American Apparel who would be terminated by that company in 2014, frequently quoted the laws during board meetings, has given friends and employees copies of the book, and appointed Greene to the board of the now defunct American Apparel. Former Cuban President Fidel Castro is also claimed by the book's author to have read the book. The book has been banned by several US prisons.
The 48 Laws of Power has been referenced, or bought by 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Michael Jackson (who wrote in the margins), Courtney Love (who was photographed carrying it on the way to court when facing a drugs charge), and Will Smith.
Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer said that Greene's so-called laws are based on isolated examples, and not on solid research. Kirkus Reviews said Greene offers no evidence to support his world view, Greene's laws contradict each other, and the book is "simply nonsense". Newsweek also lists ways it says the laws contradict each other and says, "Intending the opposite, Greene has actually produced one of the best arguments since the New Testament for humility and obscurity." Director magazine states "some of Greene's 'laws' seem contradictory" and the work is "plodding and didactic".
Greene's 48 Laws of Power
Law 1: Never outshine the master
Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies
Law 3: Conceal your intentions
Law 4: Always say less than necessary
Law 5: So much depends on reputation--guard it with your life
DJ Premier has a tattoo inspired from Law #5, "Reputation is the cornerstone of power", on his arm.
Law 6: Court attention at all cost
Law 7: Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit
Law 8: Make other people come to you--use bait if necessary
Law 9: Win through your actions, never through argument
Law 10: Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky
Law 11: Learn to keep people dependent on you
Law 12: Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
Law 13: When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude
Law 14: Pose as a friend, work as a spy
Law 15: Crush your enemy totally
Law 16: Use absence to increase respect and honor
Law 17: Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
Law 18: Do not build fortresses to protect yourself--isolation is dangerous
Law 19: Know who you're dealing with--do not offend the wrong person
Law 20: Do not commit to anyone
Law 21: Play a sucker to catch a sucker--seem dumber than your mark
Law 22: Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power
Law 23: Concentrate your forces
Law 24: Play the perfect courtier
Law 25: Re-create yourself
Law 26: Keep your hands clean
Law 27: Play on people's need to believe to create a cultlike following
Law 28: Enter action with boldness
DJ Calvin Harris has an "Enter with boldness" arm tattoo based on Law #28.
Law 29: Plan all the way to the end
Law 30: Make your accomplishments seem effortless
Law 31: Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal
Law 32: Play to people's fantasies
Law 33: Discover each man's thumbscrew
Law 34: Be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one
Law 35: Master the art of timing
Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them is the best revenge
Law 37: Create compelling spectacles
Law 38: Think as you like but behave like others
Law 39: Stir up waters to catch fish
Law 40: Despise the free lunch
Law 41: Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes
Law 42: Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Law 43: Work on the hearts and minds of others
Law 44: Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
Law 45: Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
Law 46: Never Appear Too Perfect
Law 47: Do Not Go Past the Mark You Aimed For; In Victory, Learn When to Stop
Law 48: Assume Formlessness
See also
Ten Crack Commandments
The Art of War
Thirty-Six Stratagems
References
External links
Power, Seduction and War: The Robert Greene Blog
1998 non-fiction books
Books by Robert Greene (American author)
Self-help books
Business books
Viking Press books