Question

whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way.

• the prince,

niccolò machiavelli
what is the authors primary purpose in writing this passage? to persuade
what does machiavelli most want the reader to know?
how to maintain power
how to become a prince
how to rule with kindness

Explanation:

The passage from The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli discusses strategies for holding states accustomed to their own laws and freedom. The author's purpose is to persuade, as indicated by the first question's answer. For the second question, Machiavelli's work The Prince is focused on political power - related advice. The text presents methods (ruin them, reside there, or use an oligarchy) to maintain control over a state. Among the options, "how to maintain power" aligns with the content as it's about keeping hold of a state (a form of maintaining power over a territory or people under a prince's rule). "How to become a prince" is not the focus here as the text is about holding acquired states. "How to rule with kindness" is not emphasized; the methods include harsh (ruin) and political - manipulation (oligarchy) approaches rather than kindness.

Answer:

how to maintain power