Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Lawful behavior comes from character, not just rules; bad actors evade rules.
- In plain terms
- Good people act right without laws; bad people find loopholes.
- What can you take from it?
- Character matters more than legislation for true responsibility.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can laws create virtue?
- How do you build character?
Another view
Laws are still necessary to restrain those without strong character.
More from Plato
Ignorance, the root and the stem of every evil.
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