... not be trusted to keep his promises to you. According to Machiavelli, "Everybody recognises how praiseworthy it is for a ruler to keep his word and live a life of integrity, without relying on craftiness. Nevertheless, we see that in practice, in these days, those rulers who have not thought it important to keep their word have achieved great things, and have known how to employ cunning to confuse and disorientate other men. In the end, they have been able to overcome those who have placed store in integrity." (Machiavelli, 2001, p451). He is clearly saying, as in the quote in the essay title, that, while being trustworthy and kind is an admirable thing, it will not help you in politics, where people will be more than happy to take advantage of these qualities in you. Later in the same chapter, he says "A ruler...must seem, to those who listen ...

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