The quote, as I have it from my Penguin Classic edition, goes:
"It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out,
nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to
initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those
who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who
would profit by the new order . . ."
Niccolo Machiavelli
I have used it as a "signature file" from time to time.
Re: Your comments on Mr. Machiavelli's understanding of "systems".
I read his entire presentation in "The Prince" as a series of (supposedly
heretical) observations about "the system" that was feudal Italy. His
every discussion includes the identification of what we currently call
stakeholders, and their relationship to particular actions. In particular
note his comments on mercenaries.
Taking the above quote as an example, we have several identified measures,
with actors/beneficiaries associated with each.
1 - One measure is "change", which for the sake of argument, the prince
desires.
2 - Another is "benefit from the old order"
3 - Another is "support from benificiaries of the old order"
4 - Similarly "benefit from the new order", and
5 - "support from beneficiaries of the new order"
1 negatively influences 2, which in turn reduces 3
1 positively influences 4, which in turn increases 5
Clearly a system diagram, of "influence", "benefit", and "support" in the
context of a Prince introducing change.
The quote even has something to say about the degree of influence. The
influence from 2 to 3 is much stronger than from 4 to 5. Within it all is
measure 0, the actions of the Prince, to influence, or not, a "new order
of things".
We might argue with his model, but there is no question that the model is
there. He's talking about understanding of consequences.
I find reading of other works, for example: "The Art of War" interesting
in terms of the implied systems.
--James Bullock <jbullock@pipeline.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>