ABSTRACT
All governments need to consider public opinion. Machiavelli recognizes this principle applies even to non-elected governments in pointing out the importance of the prince’s reputation among his subjects, as he advises the prince to worry whether or not he was loved or feared and counsels him to avoid being hated (Machiavelli 1950, 61). Clearly Machiavelli believed that if a prince makes decisions that do not inspire love or fear from the public, he would eventually need to reconsider his decisions in order to change his reputation if he wants to continue in power. In democracies, this need is more immediate, as regular elections allow the public to hold the government accountable for its decisions. Governments that make decisions that are unpopular with a large portion of the populace will lose elections to the other parties with which it competes for power.
