Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People are easier to control when their flaws are exploited rather than their good qualities.
- In plain terms
- Controlling people through their bad habits is easier than through their good ones.
- What can you take from it?
- Vices are more reliable tools for governance than virtues.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why are flaws easier to exploit than strengths?
- Is this a cynical view of human nature?
Another view
It assumes leaders only seek control rather than genuine improvement.
More from Napoleon Bonaparte
Let China sleep. For when China wakes, it will shake the world.
Permalink to quote #125 Men are moved by two levers only- fear and self interest.
Permalink to quote #127 It would have been better for the peace of France if this man had never existed.
Permalink to quote #124
Related quotes
...no bloody or unbloody change of society can eradicate the evil in man: as long as there will be men, there will be malice, envy and hatred, and hence there …
Leo StraussLeo Strauss quote #1 To be governed is to be watched over, inspected, spied on, directed, legislated at, regulated, docketed, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, assessed, weig…
P. J. ProudhonP. J. Proudhon quote #2 The authorities are those who are clever, strong and smart, but if the process gets out of control of the commanders, it becomes something negative.
Seyran OhanyanSeyran Ohanyan quote #2