Sense shines with a double luster when it is set in humility. An able yet humble man is a jewel worth a kingdom.
William PennRead
Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them, and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad; if it be ill, they will cure it. But if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavour to warp and spoil it to their turn.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that the quality of government depends on the character of its people.
William Penn argues that governments are shaped and influenced by the people who comprise them, suggesting a reciprocal relationship where good people lead to good governance and bad people can corrupt even the best governments. He highlights the responsibility of individuals in ensuring that their government reflects virtuous values and warns that if a society is composed of morally weak individuals, no amount of good governance can succeed.
Themes
GovernmentMenGoodBadResponsibilitySociety
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a political speech to emphasize the importance of civic responsibility.
More from William Penn
All quotes →Where thou art Obliged to speak, be sure speak the Truth: For Equivocation is half way to Lying, as Lying, the whole way to Hell.
William PennRead
Man, being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts; since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public, and his own present and future benefit in all respects.
William PennRead
Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.
William PennRead
To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.
William PennRead
Unless virtue guide us our choice must be wrong.
William PennRead
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