--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be effective, morality has to be…" description: "\"To be effective, morality has to be reasoned (or worked out). To want (\"vouloir\", Fr.) to repress evil only by coercion, and to obtain morality by a so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/african-spir-10042_character_to-be-effective-morality-has-to-be-reaso_2377036.jpg" --- # To be effective, morality has to be reasoned (or worked… ![“To be effective, morality has to be reasoned (or worked out). To want ("vouloir", Fr.) to repress evil only by coercion, and to obtain morality by a sort of training with the help of constraint, without motivating it from within, is to make it an unnatural result, devoided of lastind value.” quote by African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/african-spir-10042_character_to-be-effective-morality-has-to-be-reaso_2377036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/african-spir-10042_character_to-be-effective-morality-has-to-be-reaso_2377036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/african-spir-10042_character_to-be-effective-morality-has-to-be-reaso_2377036.jpg) > “To be effective, morality has to be reasoned (or worked out). To want ("vouloir", Fr.) to repress evil only by coercion, and to obtain morality by a sort of training with the help of constraint, without motivating it from within, is to make it an unnatural result, devoided of lastind value.” [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality must stem from internal conviction, not external coercion or forced training. **In simple terms:** Morality needs inner motivation, not just rules. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner values rather than imposing them. Themes ethics autonomy inner motivation Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - parenting - law enforcement - organizational culture Key Concepts moral philosophy self‑determination Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster intrinsic moral reasoning? - What role should external standards play? A Different Perspective External pressure may produce compliance, not true virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) [Constraints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constraints/) [Effective Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-morality-5873800/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-coercion-5873804/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality Reasoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-reasoned-5873801/) [Morality Sort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-sort-5873803/) [Obtain Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obtain-morality-5873802/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Unnatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnatural/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/so-what-is-government-very-simply-it-is-an-agency-of-coercion-of/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The state is the only institution entitled to apply coercion and compulsion and to inflict harm upon individuals. 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It has no other function and can work no other way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mcdurmon/love-is-not-coercion-and-the-state-is-only-an-agent-of-coercion-it/) [Joel McDurmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mcdurmon/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [“Coercing attitude drains your strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/coercing-attitude-drains-your-strength/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) ## More by African Spir > [There are some who esteem that it is a naivety to believe that a moral regeneration may be possible ("soit possible", Fr.); now, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/there-are-some-who-esteem-that-it-is-a-naivety-to-believe-that-a/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Up to here, in general, we have mainly stuffed the brain of the young people with a indigestible multitude of varios notions, without thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/up-to-here-in-general-we-have-mainly-stuffed-the-brain-of-the-young/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [When under the influence of certain (or some) reasons (or causes) (alcohol, war, etc - added Spir here) the low instincts are unbridled (or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/when-under-the-influence-of-certain-or-some-reasons-or-causes-alcohol/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [It goes without saying that only inner greatness possess a true value ("une valeur véritable,", Fr.) . 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For, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/outward-thanks-to-the-knowledge-of-physical-laws-man-could-subdue-or/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Whoever has recognized the vainglory of individuality will not attach any store ("n'attachera aucun prix à", Fr.) to fame. The only one thing which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/whoever-has-recognized-the-vainglory-of-individuality-will-not-attach/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [The basic notion of justice, is that the rights of everybody are equals, in principle. In the rights of others, we have to respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/the-basic-notion-of-justice-is-that-the-rights-of-everybody-are/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [We can, following the exemple of Kant, consider the moral development and improvement of men, as the supreme goal of human evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/we-can-following-the-exemple-of-kant-consider-the-moral-development/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [It must be all the same to the citizens ("ressortissants", Fr.) of a country that their governing (those in power) speak such language or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/it-must-be-all-the-same-to-the-citizens-ressortissants-fr-of-a/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Possessions of this world have not been for the exclusive use by such or such category of individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/possessions-of-this-world-have-not-been-for-the-exclusive-use-by-such/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [There are (or is) indeed no contradiction between science and religion, the fields of which are different, and which, far from mutually fighting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/there-are-or-is-indeed-no-contradiction-between-science-and-religion/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Whether we had a (good) moral intuition more developed, we would be as much morally disgusted by the rapacity of those who try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/whether-we-had-a-good-moral-intuition-more-developed-we-would-be-as/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [The divine element manifests itself (or show up) in man as well by his aptitude for science, than by his aptitude for virtue. 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