“48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene, is the book under consideration today.
The author has exhaustively researched historical examples from a wide variety of cultures and over a thousand years of the past. Based on this, he has distilled 48 laws that he believes will help people gain power either to satisfy their desire for it or as means of self-preservation and self-defence.

People often attach a negative connotation with the word ‘Power’. Strictly speaking, power in itself is neutral; however, the means through which you attain it and how you choose to wield it are not necessarily neutral. People often feel guilty or embarrassed when the topic comes up rather than honestly admit that they too would want to reach a position of power and prestige in society. To put it rather reductively, there can be positive and negative, or righteous and unrighteous ways of attaining and utilising power, for specific goals.
The book has been prescribed in professional or business circles as attested to by the multiple MBA courses that recommend it. It is quite a controversial one due to the nature of certain laws, of which some are contentious and condemnable, others astute and insightful while still more are simply common sense. Given its enduring popularity nearly 20 years since it was written, it is clear many consider it as a manual to help them navigate their professional lives while equally, many others abhor it as a manual for psychopaths.

Merits: 

• From the writer’s point of view, the neat structuring of the chapters is admirable – some of the prominent categories are listed here:
  Name of the Law
  Judgement
  Observance
  Transgression
  Interpretation
  Reversal
  Keys to Power, and,
  Further Reflections.’Judgement’ includes a basic explanation of the mechanics of the law in question while ‘Observance’ and ‘Transgression’ include examples of when the law has been successfully observed and when it has been broken respectively. ‘Interpretation’ provides an in-depth explanation of the specific example that has been cited while ‘Reversal’ includes scenarios where the opposite of the law is applied.
  Regardless of some of the morally dubious sections of the book, there is no denying the author’s writing prowess. His writing style, lexicon and the language he employs, are exemplar. Clearly, a great deal of exhaustive research has gone into this book with its wide array of historical examples ranging from Chinese, Japanese, and European (French, Prussian, Spanish) to American and even a few from Africa & Bharat i.e. Kautilya and his Arthashastra.
• Some of the laws form excellent advice, as do some of the analogies which are a suitable fit for the law they illustrate.
  I decided to classify the laws I liked into those that are common sense; and those that are not always obvious to understand.
  Law 4: Always say less than necessary
  Law 9: Win through your actions, never through argument
  Law 28: Enter action with boldness
  Law 29: Plan all the way to the end
  Law 41: Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
  Law 13: When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never their mercy or gratitude
  Law 1: Never outshine the master
  Law 19: Know who you’re dealing with, and do not offend the wrong person
  Law 46: Never appear too perfect
  Law 47: Do not go past the mark you aimed for. In victory, know when to stop.
• An additional factor in favour of the book and its excellent writing – despite not agreeing with some laws, finding others unappealing and the author indulging in occasional bouts of speculation, I did learn quite a lot. Of the American con man & swindler, ‘Yellow Kid’ Weil; of characters in the French Revolution: Napoleon Bonaparte and Fouche, Cromwell; and slices of English history; and many other examples drawn from classical Greek and Latin culture as well. Even if I don’t go back to re-read the laws that I find unappealing, I appreciate the history lesson which I otherwise may not have had. It has been educational and informative to learn of select events from the past.

Critique:

• Very few of the prescribed laws sound like principles you’d want to apply in your private life when building long-lasting & sincere connections.
  Law 7: Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit
  Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies
  Law 11: Learn to keep people dependent on you
  Law 12: Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim 

  It is difficult to imagine the above laws in particular as being the guiding principles to cultivate better relationships. But then, I came across an interview where the author alludes to a feeling of ‘helplessness’ in private lives and advises using these laws to hold sway or exert power over spouses and partners, siblings, parents and family members and friends. I must admit I was shocked to hear him say that this book applies to one’s personal life as well.
  Given that the book is marketed as self-help it’s important to bring this up, in case the non-discerning readers inadvertently commit immoral acts while applying these laws.
  It’s one thing for people to openly advocate utilising it in the cutthroat world of business, corporate or political arenas. I am still gravely suspicious of individuals of the above kind and wouldn’t consider engaging with them on a professional basis; though that is understandable to an extent. To go so far as to encourage its use while dealing with loved ones is outrageous. Personal relationships are meant to be based on values that are often the opposite of what these laws entail i.e. mutual love, understanding, sympathy, transparency and generosity of spirit; to name a few. I don’t deny that power dynamics can be heavily skewed in our personal relationships as well, with power often tilting towards one party over the other; yet one would hardly apply any of these laws to private life.

• Coming to the next point, from my dharmik perspective, the terrible karmic repercussions of some of these actions instil fear in my heart, regardless of whom they are being committed against, such as stealing credit for someone’s work and other egregious examples. A surreptitious conman or swindler may evade human justice and judicial interventions, but there are still cosmic laws that continue to operate. such heinous actions end up creating karmic debts and in turn consequences in the afterlife and future births. These laws must be understood with a sense of Viveka and discernment, and are absolutely not to be uncritically swallowed without questioning.
• Many advocates of this book recommend that the book be viewed as a defence manual of sorts against the ‘wicked’. The author has mentioned this in an interview – apparently, it is meant to be read as a means to understand how sociopaths or psychopaths work, and to have a better understanding of their mindset and the tactics they employ to dupe others.
  If you’re naive and gullible, the manual could potentially help you decode them so you can guard yourself against their deceptions. I was initially swayed by the logic when I had begun reading the book. Over time as I read more and more, I’m not as strongly convinced by that line of reasoning as I once was. Let me explain why.
  The tone, tenor, and writing style really don’t match up with that supposed defence of the book. If you were writing a book for the gullible ones, you’d be telling them exactly what red flags or patterns to spot, how to avoid being cornered by such individuals or even how to circumvent those deceptions. Instead, we have recommendations that border on manipulation and deception intending to attain power at any cost. It clearly seems as if it’s written more to encourage individuals with power-hungry tendencies who will stop short of nothing to achieve their agenda rather than the supposed gullible ones who fall prey to their actions. There are no actual examples of gullible people who have learnt the hard way how to deal with power-hungry manipulators. Nor are there examples of Dharmic or righteous people who have alternative methods of attaining and utilising power and dealing with the schemers. If there had been, it would add credence to the above claim.
• This one is a minor quibble. There is no doubt regarding the exhaustive historical research as well as the effort and time that have gone into making this an exceedingly well-written book, yet I would have loved some contemporary examples in addition to the historical ones provided to illustrate certain laws of power. Laws that cut across domains and sectors of life such as politics, cinema and other professions. Then again, the author probably wants to avoid being sued for defaming people so he wisely sticks to historical figures who have passed on, thereby, their characters can be safely speculated upon and questionable intentions ascribed to some of them. That may also be the reason that the author doesn’t include examples from his own life. He seems to have worked in multiple sectors cutting across professions. Presumably, these gave him an array of life experiences that left him worldly-wise.
• Another apt criticism was whether these historical examples may have been more relevant in the past and not as much in present times. I wouldn’t go so far as some reviewers to say they are outdated and inapplicable and yet I must ask, to what extent are some of the laws relevant and to whom? Quite a few are, after all, based on strategies of military craft and to some extent statecraft. This book comes heavily recommended in business and political circles and is useful for dealing with competitors and those who threaten their interests. However, I would have liked to have seen some concrete examples being observed in contemporary times in those very circles by modern-day employees.
• The author sometimes indulges in speculation by ascribing his own biases to historical events (Please check my reflections on Law 39: Stir up waters to catch fish)

Further Reflections on specific laws : 

• Law 34: Be royal in your own fashion. Act like a king to be treated like one
  One of the historical examples given in observance or support of this law was not entirely convincing. I’m referring to that of Christopher Columbus. Apparently based on the biography written by his son, he fabricated his royal birth connections when in fact he did not come of aristocratic lineage. He supposedly had a ‘manner’ about him, some kind of charisma and the ability to effectively sell or pitch his ideas to the nobility whom he approached to sponsor his audacious voyages. While researching the book, I had come across two criticisms which I now find to be quite apt, although I hadn’t given it much credence at the time of reading.
  One was that some of the laws were dependent on the individual having a strong ‘persona’ i.e. charisma which allows them to sway people’s judgement in their favour. Haven’t we all come across those people in life who can get away with actions the rest of us can’t, solely thanks to the gift of their ‘charming’ or ‘magnetic’ personality? Since video recording technologies didn’t exist back then, of course, we have no footage to watch and verify if that is indeed the case with some of the cited historical examples. We have to rely on written accounts of those who have interacted with the mentioned figures. Not everyone can learn to assume a ‘regal demeanour’. How do we know that this wasn’t some innate gift he had and not something he learnt to emulate? If it’s innate, it’s not something the layman can just imbibe and pick up instantly. Ideally, you’d want laws that anybody can learn and put into practice regardless of their talent, bland personalities or (lack of) public speaking skills. While I don’t think this applies to all the laws of course, the above criticism is certainly apt for this particular one.
• Law 35: Master the art of timing
  I wholeheartedly agree with the above law. It is excellent advice regardless of whether anyone wishes to attain power or not and we would do well to heed it.Being in the right place at the right time.Taking advantage of the opportune moment.

  Knowing which way the winds are blowing while avoiding running away with them. Knowing how the tides of time are shifting and when to go against them and when to ride them such that they favour your endeavours.

  To be able to spot trends well in advance.

  The importance of all the above simply cannot be overstated. There’s a great historical example the author gives of a clever chap involved in the French Revolution who was continually adapting to changing times almost in a protean or chameleon-like fashion. It is a rare trait that almost borders on the supernatural. It is also one about which I wonder if it is innate or can be learnt and acquired. While the author stresses its importance, I would have liked to learn more about how the layman is supposed to cultivate this very crucial skill. However, there wasn’t much mention of that.

• Law 39: Stir up waters to catch fish
  Create trouble by playing on people’s emotions and then take advantage of their moments of weakness while remaining emotionally unaffected. The example the author gives is that of Napoleon and two of his ministers. He suspected that they were plotting against him and had spies to keep tabs on them. When they were in the midst of planning, they were found out and Napoleon confronted one of them. The minister remained cool, calm and collected all throughout the confrontation as Napoleon grew red, lost his temper, spouted foul language and essentially created a spectacle for all who watched by losing his composure. Word quickly spread about how the ruler had disgraced himself while the minister remained composed. People had never seen or heard of a ruler behaving like this before and gradually began to lose faith in his stability. Their beloved leader & ruler was now seen to be paranoid and prone to emotional outbursts. This was the first in the series of events that eventually led to his downfall. The author states that the two most clever and crafty statesmen in question must have deliberately sought to rouse Napoleon’s temper and behave as he did. They couldn’t possibly have only a partially finished plan. Given how thorough they were, they would probably have had a more fully-fledged plan if that was their true intention. Since they found it out, it must mean they deliberately behaved ostentatiously to fool the spies (whom they knew were watching them.) All this, in the hope that the information would be relayed to Napoleon, who could then be reliably counted on to have some emotional outburst and behave as he did.
  I must admit that I think the author may simply be speculating here by trying to force fit past events (based on little evidence and more imagination) and use it to illustrate it as an example of the law. How would the author know the details to be able to confidently ascribe these motivations to the craftsman? For all you know, maybe this was a genuine mistake or misstep on their part and they had no idea they were being spied upon.After having read another example, i.e. the account of Columbus in the 38th Law, I can’t shake off the impression that the author occasionally read his own biases, ascribed motivations and lines of thought into historical figures based on speculation. Sentences such as ‘he must have thought so’ hardly inspire confidence that such was actually the case and make me doubtful of its veracity.The book is not littered with only such examples, but they come up occasionally enough to warrant mention. There are just as many historical examples where I was convinced that the law was indeed being observed & the author was in fact drawing the correct conclusions. But in the interests of fairness, I must admit the few examples that didn’t leave me entirely convinced. The author would do well to come out with a revised edition sometime in the future perhaps. To correct these errors and put to rest accusations that he may be indulging in too much speculation.
• Law 42: Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
  This is an excellent law and I can particularly appreciate its relevance in statecraft. One must target the strong link that is binding the entire mass or flock of people together. Once that is out of the way, it’s far easier to bring the whole thing to its knees.
  There was an excellent example of the strategies of Pope Bonaparte, the 8^th that the author used to highlight its relevance. The pope wished to consolidate his influence and capture the republic of Tuscany with its capital, Florence. However, a key figure that stood in his way and rallied people by organising a resistance against him was the celebrated Italian writer, Dante. With his eloquence and charisma, Dante held great sway over the masses and was a thorn in the Pope’s plans. How then did he scheme his way to victory? As it so happened, he had a few supporters within the city’s confines whom he could spur to do his bidding. While simultaneously encouraging conflict within the city through these allies, the Pope then pretended to offer an olive branch to Dante’s resisting faction. This was in fact a diversion that required him to leave the city. By hustling Dante away from the capital through supposed diplomatic discussions, he ensured he was away from the site of action. He retained him there alone and sent off the other delegates while ensuring that Tuscany fell in his absence. Once the siege was complete, Dante was dismissed. This is a clear example of the Pope’s acumen and the law in observance.

All in all, a worthy book to retain on one’s reading shelf. Exhaustive research has gone into making this very well-written distillation of the laws of power. I learnt much about historical incidents across a variety of cultures of the world and found quite a few laws to be sound advice. However, there were others that I strongly condemned as being ill-suited to apply in one’s private life and also found the author indulging in occasional bouts of historical speculation. I will probably return to re-read this book, although I may gloss over some of the unappealing sections.

Final Rating: 3.5 Stars