The work offers practical guidance for those who hold or seek political power, categorizing forms of rule and explaining how each may be acquired and maintained. It examines the roles of military organization, popular support, and the use of cruelty, generosity, and deception in statecraft. Chapters compare inherited and new dominions, discuss auxiliaries and mercenaries, and outline strategies for avoiding hatred and preserving authority. The author argues that adaptability, calculation regarding fortune, and careful management of advisers and public reputation are central to successful rule.