Explanation
#48-laws-of-power #law-1-never-outshine-the-master #transgression-of-the-law
The evening of the party, as Fouquet presented spectacle on spectacle to Louis, each more magnificent, thinking he was demonstrating his loyalty and devotion to the king. He was basically showing of connections, taste etc. and thought this would make him indispensable.
This made it seem to Louis that his own friends and subjects were more charmed by the finance minister than by the king himself, and that Fouquet was actually flaunting his wealth and power.
Rather than flattering Louis XIV, the party offended the king’s vanity.
Louis would not admit this —instead, he found a convenient excuse to rid himself of a man who had inadvertently made him feel insecure.
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Parent (intermediate) annotation
Open ithe glorious palace of Versailles. He used the same architects, decorators, and garden designer. And at Versailles, Louis hosted parties even more extravagant than the one that cost Fouquet his freedom.
Let us examine the situation. <span>The evening of the party, as Fouquet presented spectacle on spectacle to Louis, each more magnificent than the one before, he imagined the affair as demonstrating his loyalty and devotion to the king. Not only did he think the party would put him back in the king’s favor, he thought it would show his good taste, his connections, and his popularity, making him indispensable to the king and demonstrating that he would make an excellent prime minister. Instead, however, each new spectacle, each appreciative smile bestowed by the guests on Fouquet, made it seem to Louis that his own friends and subjects were more charmed by the finance minister than by the king himself, and that Fouquet was actually flaunting his wealth and power. Rather than flattering Louis XIV, Fouquet’s elaborate party offended the king’s vanity. Louis would not admit this to anyone, of course—instead, he found a convenient excuse to rid himself of a man who had inadvertently made him feel insecure.
Such is the fate, in some form or other, of all those who unbalance the master’s sense of self, poke holes in his vanity, or make him doubt his pre-eminence.
When
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