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Men are not governed by justice, but by law or persuasion. When they refuse to be governed by law or persuasion, they have to be governed by force or fraud, or both.
George Bernard Shaw
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that human behavior is shaped more by laws and persuasion than by a sense of justice.

George Bernard Shaw's quote highlights the complexities of human governance and societal order. It implies that while justice should ideally guide individuals' actions, in reality, humans are more effectively influenced by laws or persuasive arguments. When these fail to govern behavior, individuals resort to force or deceit, indicating a breakdown in moral and ethical considerations. This statement reflects on the nature of authority and the reasons behind human compliance or rebellion.

Themes

JusticeLawPersuasionForceFraud

In practice

Example use cases

To discuss the challenges of maintaining order in a society, especially in a political debate.

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The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
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