“Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.”
- May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527
- Born in the Republic of Florence (Italy)
- Political thinker and diplomat
- Wrote The Prince, built the foundations of modern political science, and advocated realist political thought
Quote
“Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.”
Explanation
In this quote, Niccolò Machiavelli emphasizes the dangers of delay in political and military action. He argues that tardiness—the failure to act promptly—can result in lost opportunities and ineffective responses to challenges. Machiavelli is advocating for the timely execution of plans, especially when confronting adversaries or seizing critical moments in history. This reflects his broader philosophy that decisiveness and speed are key to maintaining power and achieving success. Delaying action, in his view, can give opponents time to regroup, counteract, or simply seize the advantage.
Machiavelli’s own experience in Renaissance Italy, where city-states were often at war, informs this view. In his time, political and military decisions often had to be made quickly, as failure to act could mean losing ground to rival factions. He believed that in times of conflict, it was essential to move swiftly—whether in military campaigns or political maneuvers—to exploit the weaknesses of opponents before they could recover or retaliate. The “dispatch of forces” refers to the deployment of military or political efforts without hesitation, ensuring that the momentum remains in the ruler’s favor.
In modern terms, this quote still resonates in areas such as business, politics, and military strategy. For example, startups that fail to act quickly on emerging market opportunities often lose their competitive edge, while political leaders who hesitate in responding to crises may lose public support or face more difficult negotiations. A historical example of Machiavelli’s idea can be seen in the early actions of Winston Churchill during World War II, where his decisiveness in rallying Britain and rejecting peace talks with Nazi Germany played a crucial role in changing the course of the war. Similarly, in business, the timely execution of strategies—such as the rapid expansion of companies like Amazon or Apple—has been key to maintaining their dominant positions in the market.