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About this quote

What does it mean?
Voltaire observes that skilled tyrants avoid punishment.
In plain terms
Smart rulers who oppress people often get away with it.
What can you take from it?
Power protects the cunning.

Where it applies

  • political analysis
  • history
  • activism

Putting it to work

  • monitoring power
  • advocating justice
  • historical study

Questions to consider

  • Can true justice exist under tyranny?
  • How do leaders evade accountability?

Another view

Some tyrants are punished eventually by history or revolt.

More from Voltaire

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  2. Il vaut mieux hasarder de sauver un coupable que de condamner un innocent.

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  3. Mais qu'un marchand de chameaux excite une sedition dans sa bourgade; qu'associe a quelques malheureux coracites il leur persuade qu'il s'entretient avec l'ang…

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