---
title: "2 Collectivism Quotes By Karl Popper"
description: "2 Collectivism quotes by Karl Popper. Plus more from Karl Popper and more Collectivism sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg"
---

> [“We see here that Plato recognizes only one ultimate standard, the interest of the state. Everything that furthers it is good and virtuous and just; everything that threatens it is bad and wicked and unjust. Actions that serve it are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-one-ultimate-standard-the/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg)

> [Psychologism is, I believe, correct only in so far as it insists upon what may be called 'methodological individualism' as opposed to 'methodological collectivism'; it rightly insists that the 'behaviour' and the 'actions' of collectives, such as states or social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-in-so-far-as-it-insists-upon/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/karl-popper-2167_action_psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-i_1800071.jpg)

## Other authors on Collectivism

- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b002/author-ilkin-santak-7545.jpg) Ilkin Santak 90 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/ilkin-santak/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b004/author-ayn-rand-15943.jpg) Ayn Rand 22 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/ayn-rand/)
- [A.E. Samaan 7 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/a-e-samaan/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-george-orwell-37887.jpg) George Orwell 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/george-orwell/)

## More by Karl Popper

> [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [“As indicated by our example, methodological nominalism is nowadays fairly generally accepted in the natural sciences. The problems of the social sciences, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/as-indicated-by-our-example-methodological-nominalism-is-nowadays/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [Science is perhaps the only human activity in which errors are systematically criticized and, in time, corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-perhaps-the-only-human-activity-in-which-errors-are/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/bold-ideas-unjustified-anticipations-and-speculative-thought-are-our/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [ \[The aim of science is\] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so-far-has-taken-to-be-an/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [There can be no ultimate statements science: there can be no statements in science which can not be tested, and therefore none which cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-can-be-no-ultimate-statements-science-there-can-be-no/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [Evolution is not a fact. Evolution doesn't even qualify as a theory or as a hypothesis. It is a metaphysical research program, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/evolution-is-not-a-fact-evolution-doesn-t-even-qualify-as-a-theory-or/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [I am opposed to looking upon logic as a kind of game. ... One might think that it is a matter of choice or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/i-am-opposed-to-looking-upon-logic-as-a-kind-of-game-one-might-think/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [The history of science, like the history of all human ideas, is a history of irresponsible dreams, of obstinacy, and of error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-history-of-science-like-the-history-of-all-human-ideas-is-a/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-is-no-pure-disinterested-theory-free-observation/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate even them whenever we can do so without running a great risk;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-have-the-right-not-to-tolerate-the-intolerant-we-should-tolerate/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [Better our hypotheses die for our errors than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/better-our-hypotheses-die-for-our-errors-than-ourselves/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [“Every time we proceed to explain some conjectural law or theory by a new conjectural theory of a higher degree of universality, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/every-time-we-proceed-to-explain-some-conjectural-law-or-theory-by-a/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/#itemlist",
            "name": "2 Collectivism Quotes By Karl Popper",
            "numberOfItems": 2,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "“We see here that Plato recognizes only one ultimate standard, the interest of the state. Everything that furthers it is good and virtuous and just; everything that threatens it is bad and wicked and unjust. Actions that serve it are moral; actions that endanger it, immoral. In other words, Plato’s moral code is strictly utilitarian; it is a code of collectivist or political utilitarianism. The criterion of morality is the interest of the state. Morality is nothing but political hygiene. This is the collectivist, the tribal, the totalitarian theory of morality: ‘Good is what is in the interest of my group; or my tribe; or my state.’ It is easy to see what this morality implied for international relations: that the state itself can never be wrong in any of its actions, as long as it is strong; that the state has the right, not only to do violence to its citizens, should that lead to an increase of strength, but also to attack other states, provided it does so without weakening itself. (This inference, the explicit recognition of the amorality of the state, and consequently the defence of moral nihilism in international relations, was drawn by Hegel.)”",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Karl Popper"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-one-ultimate-standard-the/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“We see here that Plato recognizes only one ultimate standard, the interest of the state. Everything that…” — Karl Popper",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "Psychologism is, I believe, correct only in so far as it insists upon what may be called 'methodological individualism' as opposed to 'methodological collectivism'; it rightly insists that the 'behaviour' and the 'actions' of collectives, such as states or social groups, must be reduced to the behaviour and to the actions of human individuals. But the belief that the choice of such an individualist method implies the choice of a psychological method is mistaken.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Karl Popper"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-in-so-far-as-it-insists-upon/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/karl-popper-2167_action_psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-i_1800071.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/karl-popper-2167_action_psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-i_1800071.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/karl-popper-2167_action_psychologism-is-i-believe-correct-only-i_1800071.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“Psychologism is, I believe, correct only in so far as it insists upon what may be called 'methodological…” — Karl Popper",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/",
            "name": "Collectivism Quotes by Karl Popper",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/karl-popper-2167_amorality_we-see-here-that-plato-recognizes-only-o_804797.jpg"
            },
            "description": "2 Collectivism quotes by Karl Popper. Plus more from Karl Popper and more Collectivism sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Collectivism",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Karl Popper",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/karl-popper/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
