the 48 Laws of Power

Author(s) Robert Greene

Country United States

Subject(s) History & Theory, Social

Philosophy

Publisher Viking Press (HC); HighBridge

Audio CD

Publication

date

1998 (HC); 2007 (CD)

Pages 452

ISBN ISBN 0-670-88146-5 (HC); ISBN

978-1-59887-092-3 (CD)

OCLC

Number

39733201 (http://worldcat.org

/oclc/39733201)

Dewey

Decimal

303.3 21

LC

Classification

BD438 .G74 1998

The 48 Laws of PowerFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from 48 laws of power)

The 48 Laws of Power (2000) is the first book by

American author Robert Greene.[1] The book, aninternational bestseller, is a practical guide for anyone whowants power, observes power, or wants to arm himself

against power.[2][3][4] It has sold over 1.2 million copies inthe United States alone and is popular with famousrappers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, athletes and actorsincluding 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes,Ludacris, DJ Premier, Dov Charney, Brian Grazer,

Andrew Bynum, Chris Bosh, and Will Smith.[4][5][6][7]

[8][9]

Background

Greene initially formulated some of the ideas in The 48Laws of Power while working as a writer in Hollywoodand observing that today's power elite shared similar traits

with powerful figures throughout history.[4] In 1995,Greene worked as a writer at Fabrica, an art and media

school, and met a book packager named Joost Elffers.[6][8]

Greene pitched a book about power to Elffers and sixmonths later, Elffers requested that Greene write a

treatment.[6]

Although Greene was unhappy in his current job, he wascomfortable and saw the time needed to write a proper

book proposal as too risky.[10] However, at the timeGreene was rereading his favorite biography about JuliusCaesar and took inspiration from Caesar's decision to crossthe Rubicon River and fight Pompey, thus inciting the

Great Roman Civil War.[10] Greene would follow Caesar'sexample and write the treatment, which later became The

48 Laws of Power.[10] He would note this as the turning

point of his life.[10]

Synopsis

The 48 Laws of Power are a distillation of 3,000 years of the history of power, drawing on the lives ofstrategists and historical figures like Niccolò Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, Queen Elizabeth I,

Henry Kissinger, and P.T. Barnum.[1] The book is intended to show people how to gain power, preserve it,

and defend themselves against power manipulators.[4] Each law is its own chapter, complete with a"transgression of the law," "observation of the law," and a "reversal." Those laws are:

Never outshine the master.1.Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to2.

Re-create yourself.25.Keep your hands clean.26.

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use enemies.Conceal your intentions.3.Always say less than necessary.4.Create a Sense of Urgency and Desperation: TheDeath-Ground Strategy.

5.

Court attention at all costs.6.Get others to do the work for you, but always takethe credit.

7.

Make other people come to you; use bait ifnecessary.

8.

Win through your actions, never through argument.9.Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky.10.Learn to keep people dependent on you.11.Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm yourvictim.

12.

When asking for help, appeal to people'sself-interests, never to their mercy or gratitude.

13.

Pose as a friend, work as a spy.14.Crush your enemy totally.15.Use absence to increase respect and honor.16.Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air ofunpredictability.

17.

Do not build fortresses to protect yourself. Isolationis dangerous.

18.

Know who you're dealing with; do not offend thewrong person.

19.

Do not commit to anyone.20.Play a sucker to catch a sucker: play dumber thanyour mark.

21.

Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness intopower.

22.

Concentrate your forces.23.Play the perfect courtier.24.

Play on people's need to believe to create acultlike following.

27.

Enter action with boldness.28.Plan all the way to the end.29.Make your accomplishments seemeffortless.

30.

Control the options: get others to play withthe cards you deal.

31.

Play to people's fantasies.32.Discover each man's thumbscrew.33.Be royal in your fashion: act like a king tobe treated like one.

34.

Master the art of timing.35.Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoringthem is the best revenge.

36.

Create compelling spectacles.37.Think as you like but behave like others.38.Stir up waters to catch fish.39.Despise the free lunch.40.Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes.41.Strike the shepherd and the sheep willscatter.

42.

Work on the hearts and minds of others.43.Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.44.Preach the need for change, but neverreform too much at once.

45.

Never appear perfect.46.Do not go past the mark you aimed for; invictory, learn when to stop.

47.

Assume formlessness.[11]48.

Reception

The 48 Laws of Power has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States and has been translated into 24

languages.[6][12] Fast Company called the book a "mega cult classic," and The Los Angeles Times noted thatThe 48 Laws of Power turned Greene into a "cult hero with the hip-hop set, Hollywood elite and prison

inmates alike."[6][13][14][15] The book has been featured in publications like CNN, Forbes, The Los AngelesTimes, Entrepreneur magazine, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Newsweek, USA Today, The

Guardian, Business Insider, Fast Company, ESPN, and Men’s Health.[4][6][7][8][10][13][16][17][18][19]

Cultural impact

The 48 Laws of Power is taught in business management classes and is one of the most requested books in

American prison libraries.[4][20][21][22] The book is influential with a wide array of entrepreneurs, musicians,athletes, and movie stars. Dov Charney, founder and CEO of American Apparel, has handed out hundreds ofcopies of the book to friends and employees and frequently quotes the laws during board meetings (he would

also later appoint Greene to American Apparel's board of directors).[6]

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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.[16]

Busta Rhymes used The 48 Laws of Power to deal with problematic movie producers.[8] DJ Premier has a

tattoo inspired from Law #5, "Reputation is the cornerstone of power", on his arm[5] and DJ Calvin Harris

has an "Enter with boldness" arm tattoo based on Law #28.[23] The 48 Laws of Power has also been

mentioned in songs by Jay Z, Kanye West, and Drake.[5][24][25] Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is also reported

to have read the book.[6]

References

^ a b Greene, Robert (2000). The 48 Laws ofPower (http://www.amazon.com/48-Laws-Power-Robert-Greene/dp/0140280197/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346102901&sr=1-1&keywords=48+laws+of+power) . New York,NY. pp. 452. ISBN 0140280197.http://www.amazon.com/48-Laws-Power-Robert-Greene/dp/0140280197/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346102901&sr=1-1&keywords=48+laws+of+power .

1.

^ "Business Bestsellers" (http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/08/business/the-new-york-times-business-best-sellers.html) . New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/08/business/the-new-york-times-business-best-sellers.html .Retrieved November 8, 1998.

2.

^ Green, Hardy. "Best Selling List".BusinessWeek.

3.

^ a b c d e f Blake, John. How to Master the ‘48Laws of Power’ (http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-15/living/48.laws.of.power_1_gain-power-laws-robert-greene?_s=PM%3ALIVING) .CNN. March 15, 2010.

4.

^ a b c Lee, Chris (July 12, 2006). "Laws for anOutlaw Culture" (http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jul/12/entertainment/et-48laws12) . LATimes. http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jul/12/entertainment/et-48laws12 .

5.

^ a b c d e f g h Chang, Andrea. American Apparel'sin-house guru shows a lighter side(http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/30/business/la-fi-robert-greene-20110726) . LA Times.August 30, 2011.

6.

^ a b Tice, Carol. All’s Fair?(http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/168770) .Entrepreneur. November 1, 2006.

7.

^ a b c d Paumgarten, Nick. Fresh Prince(http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/11/06/061106fa_fact_paumgarten) . NewYorker.November 6, 2006.

8.

^ Bosh, Chris. Chris Bosh NBA Blog(http://www.nba.com/chat_and_mailboxes/chris_bosh.html) . NBA.com. April 10, 2007.

9.

^ a b c d e Perlroth, Nicole. Robert Greene on10.

Power Ambition Glory (http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/18/robert-greene-classics-leadership-greene.html) . Forbes. June 16, 2009.^ The 48 Laws of Power abridged online version(http://robertgreene.net/Robert_Greene_The_48_Laws_of_Power.html)

11.

^ "Executive Profile Robert Greene"(http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=39505758&ticker=APP&previousCapId=6527641&previousTitle=AMERICAN%20APPAREL%20INC) . Business Week.http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=39505758&ticker=APP&previousCapId=6527641&previousTitle=AMERICAN%20APPAREL%20INC .

12.

^ a b Johnson, Lynn. The 50 Cent Bible(http://www.fastcompany.com/1353390/50-cent-bible) . Fast Company. September 10, 2009.

13.

^ Rastogi, Lavanya (2004), THE 48 LAWS OFPOWER (http://www.delhibusinessreview.org/v_5n2/dbrv5n2book_review.pdf) , DelhiBusiness Review,http://www.delhibusinessreview.org/v_5n2/dbrv5n2book_review.pdf , retrieved 4 August2012

14.

^ Bartley Kives (07/8/2012). "Wyatt the wild card"(http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/wyatt-the-wild-card-161705715.html)

. Winnipeg Free Press.http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/wyatt-the-wild-card-161705715.html

. Retrieved 4 July 2012.

15.

^ a b Burkeman, Oliver (September 4, 2009)."When the gangsta rapper met the self-help guru"(http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/sep/05/50-cent-robert-greene-interview) . The Guardian.http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/sep/05/50-cent-robert-greene-interview .

16.

^ Wilson, Craig. 48 Laws on Winning at all Costs(http://www.usatoday.com/life/enter/books/b736.htm) . USA Today. December 02, 2009.

17.

^ Groth, Aimee. Robert Greene Tells Us WhatPeople Don't Understand About Power

18.

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(http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-greene-on-the-laws-of-power-and-seduction-2012-6) .BusinessInsider. June 04, 2012.^ Shelburne, Ramona. Going From Good to Great(http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/columns/story?id=4798537) . ESPN. January 5, 2010.

19.

^ "48 Laws of Power Syllabus"(http://home.millsaps.edu/grubbmr/Management%20637%2048%20Laws%20of%20Power%20Summer%202010.pdf) . MillsapsCollege. http://home.millsaps.edu/grubbmr/Management%20637%2048%20Laws%20of%20Power%20Summer%202010.pdf .

20.

^ "The 48 Laws of Power Syllabus"(http://www.ramapo.edu/academics/firstYear/docs/syl/INTD-101-26-Fall-2012-061412.pdf) . Ramapo College. http://www.ramapo.edu/academics/firstYear/docs/syl/INTD-101-26-Fall-2012-061412.pdf .

21.

^ Garner, Dwight. The Readers Behind Bars PutBooks to Many Uses (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/books/20book.html) . The NewYork Times. October 19, 2010.

22.

^ "calvin says: enter with boldness"(http://thefmly.com/2011/05/31/calvin-says-enter-with-boldness/) . FMLY. http://thefmly.com/2011/05/31/calvin-says-enter-with-boldness/ .Retrieved May 31, 2011.

23.

^ "Kanye West – Primetime Lyrics"(http://rapgenius.com/Kanye-west-primetime-lyrics#note-312947) . RapGenius.http://rapgenius.com/Kanye-west-primetime-lyrics#note-312947 .

24.

^ "Drake – What I'm Thinkin' Right Now Lyrics"(http://rapgenius.com/Drake-what-im-thinkin-right-now-lyrics#note-831515) . RapGenius.http://rapgenius.com/Drake-what-im-thinkin-right-now-lyrics#note-831515 .

25.

External links

Power, Seduction and War: The Robert Greene Blog (http://www.powerseductionandwar.com)

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