--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men who have greatness within them don't…" description: "\"Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.\" — Albert Camus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg" --- # Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics. ![“Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg) > “Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness is an inner quality that prefers pursuits beyond the compromises and power struggles of politics. **In simple terms:** Greatness seeks higher purpose than political ambition. Key Takeaway True greatness avoids political entanglements. Themes integrity purpose politics personal growth power societal impact Mood thoughtful inspirational Type aphorism philosophical statement When to use this quote - career decisions - public service considerations - personal development - leadership roles Key Concepts self-actualization ethical leadership cognitive dissonance Practical Applications - career counseling - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - Is political involvement always detrimental to personal greatness? - How can one channel greatness into societal benefit without politics? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-libertarian/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-within/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Politics and the fate of mankind are shaped by men without ideals and without greatness. Men who have greatness within them don't go in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/politics-and-the-fate-of-mankind-are-shaped-by-men-without-ideals-and/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don't see it yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/surround-yourself-with-those-who-see-greatness-within-you-even-when/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Politics and the fate of mankind are shaped by men without greatness. Those who possess greatness are not in politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/politics-and-the-fate-of-mankind-are-shaped-by-men-without-greatness/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/the-constitution-be-never-construed-to-authorize-congress-to-infringe/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [The great non sequitur committed by defenders of the State, is to leap from the necessity of society to the necessity of the State.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-great-non-sequitur-committed-by-defenders-of-the-state-is-to-leap/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [There is no greater fallacy than the belief that aims and purposes are one thing, while methods and tactics are another ... All human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/there-is-no-greater-fallacy-than-the-belief-that-aims-and-purposes/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional right to free speech, it acts lawlessly; and the citizen can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscribe-the-exercise-of-a-citizen/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Governments harangue about deficits to get more revenue so they can spend more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-h-meltzer/governments-harangue-about-deficits-to-get-more-revenue-so-they-can/) [Allan H. Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-h-meltzer/) > [The proliferation of bureaucrats and its invariable accompaniment, much heavier tax levies on the productive part of the population, are the recognizable signs, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-chamberlin/the-proliferation-of-bureaucrats-and-its-invariable-accompaniment/) William Henry Chamberlin > [The greatest productive force is human selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-greatest-productive-force-is-human-selfishness/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [When all government ...in little as in great things... shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-all-government-in-little-as-in-great-things-shall-be-drawn-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The standard of living of the common man is higher in those countries which have the greatest number of wealthy entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-standard-of-living-of-the-common-man-is-higher-in-those-countries/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Destined for greatness! Don't stop until you get to the top!!!!! Stay focused people!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-simmons/destined-for-greatness-don-t-stop-until-you-get-to-the-top-stay/) [Vanessa Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-simmons/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I've seen of enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-ve-seen-of-enough-of-people-who-die-for-an-idea-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The best are led to make greater demands upon themselves. As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Great libertarian quotes > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [Poverty is the greatest cause of terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-azmat-hassan/poverty-is-the-greatest-cause-of-terrorism/) S. Azmat Hassan > [The standard of living of the common man is higher in those countries which have the greatest number of wealthy entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-standard-of-living-of-the-common-man-is-higher-in-those-countries/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/the-laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [When all government ...in little as in great things... shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-all-government-in-little-as-in-great-things-shall-be-drawn-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The fact is that the average man's love of liberty is nine-tenths imaginary, exactly like his love of sense, justice and truth. Liberty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-fact-is-that-the-average-man-s-love-of-liberty-is-nine-tenths/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The greatest productive force is human selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-greatest-productive-force-is-human-selfishness/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The proliferation of bureaucrats and its invariable accompaniment, much heavier tax levies on the productive part of the population, are the recognizable signs, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-chamberlin/the-proliferation-of-bureaucrats-and-its-invariable-accompaniment/) William Henry Chamberlin > [Governments harangue about deficits to get more revenue so they can spend more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-h-meltzer/governments-harangue-about-deficits-to-get-more-revenue-so-they-can/) [Allan H. Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-h-meltzer/) > [We have been living amidst one of the great revolutions of human history, and we hardly know it: the penetration of the State into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/we-have-been-living-amidst-one-of-the-great-revolutions-of-human/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional right to free speech, it acts lawlessly; and the citizen can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscribe-the-exercise-of-a-citizen/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-inherent-blessing-of-socialism-is-the-equal-sharing-of-misery/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is no greater fallacy than the belief that aims and purposes are one thing, while methods and tactics are another ... All human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/there-is-no-greater-fallacy-than-the-belief-that-aims-and-purposes/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) [Browse all 30 Great libertarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-libertarian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Camus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t-go-in-for-politics/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great libertarian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t-go-in-for-politics/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/albert-camus-47_great-libertarian_men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t_68226.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.” — Albert Camus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Albert Camus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men who have greatness within them...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t-go-in-for-politics/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/men-who-have-greatness-within-them-don-t-go-in-for-politics/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```