Possibly unfairly attributed to Leo Straus:
- A leader must perpetually deceive those being ruled.
- Those who lead are accountable to no overarching system of morals, only to the right of the
superior to rule the inferior. - Religion is the force that binds society together, and is therefore the tool by which the rule can
manipulate the masses (any religion will do) - Secularism in society is to be suppressed, because it leads to critical thinking and dissent.
- A political system can be stable on if it is united against an external threat and that if no real
threat exists one should be manufactured.*
You can find this list in Richard Heinberg’s book “Power Down” on page 68.
I see SAFE stopping this kind of approach.
Also note that Machiavelli was apparently not in favor of the approach now associated with his name but had a patron to to consider.