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POWER

Learn To Keep People Dependant On You

To maintain your independance, you must always be needed and wanted. The more you are relied upon, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you will have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you.

The ultimate power is the power to get people to do as you wish. When you can do this without needing to force people or hurt them, when the willingly give you what you desire, then your power is untouchable. The best way to achieve this position is to create a relationship of dependence. The master requires your services; he is weak, or unable to function without you; you have enmeshed yourself in his work so deeply that doing away with you would bring him great difficulty, or at least, would mean losing valuable time in training another to replace you. Once such a relationship is established, you have the upper hand, the leverage to make the master do as you wish. It is the classic case of the man behind the throne, the servant of the king, who actually controls the king.

THE TWO HORSES - Two horses were carrying two loads. The front horse went well but the rear horse was lazy. The men began to pile the rear horse's load onto the front horse; when they had transferred it all, the rear horse found it easy going, and he said to the front horse, "Toil and sweat, the more you try the more you suffer." When they reached a tavern, the owner said, "Why should I fodder two horses, when I can carry all on one? I had better give the one all the food it wants, and cut the throat of the other; at least I shall have the hide." And so he did. Leo Tolstoy, 1828-1910

Do not be one of the many, who mistakenly believe that the ultimate form of power is independence. Power involves a relationship between people; you will always need allies, pawns, or weak master who serve as your front.

If you create no need for yourself, then you will be removed, at the first opportunity. Someone younger, fresher, less expensive, less threatening will replace you. Do not take such a chance; make others dependent on you. To get rid of you might mean disaster, and your master dares not tempt fate. There are many ways to obtain such a position. Foremost is to possess a talent and creative skill that simply can not be replaced.

You do not need to be a genius; you do need to possess a skill, which sets you apart from the crowd. You shoud create a situation, in which you can always get another master or patron but your master can not easily find another with your particular talent. if, in reality, you are not indispensable, you must find a way to make it appear, as if tou are. Having the appearance of specialized knowledge and skill gives you room in your ability to deceive those above you into thinking they can not do without you.

Thus a wise prince will think of ways to keep his citizens of every sort and under every circumstance dependent on the state and on him; and then they will always be trustworthy. - Nicolo Machiavelli, 1469-1527

Henry Kissinger managed to survive the many bloodlettings that went on in the Nixon White House not because he was the best diplomat Nixon could find - there were other fine negotiators - and not because the two got along so well: they did not. Nor did they share beliefs and politics. Kissinger survived because he entrenched himself in so many areas of the political structure that to do away with him would lead to chaos. He got involved in so many aspects and departments of the administration that his involvement became a card in his hand. This also made him many allies. If you can arrange such a position for yourself, getting rid of you becomes dangerous - all sorts of independencies will unravel.

Imagine Vines with Many Thorns- Below, the roots grow deep and wide. Above, the vines push through bushes, entwine themselves around trees and poles. To get rid of them would cost toil and blood, and you might lose your bushes. It is easier to let them climb.

One last warning: Do not imagine that your master's dependence on you will make him love you. In fact, he may resent and fear you - but as Machiavelli said, it is better to be feared than loved. Fear you can control; love, never. Depending upon an emotion as subtle and changeable as love or friendship will cause you to be insecure. It is better t have others depend on you out of fear of the consequences of losing you than out of love of your company.

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