Army Quote by Algernon Sidney
“There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most fit to be commanders or leaders, who most excel in the virtues required for the right performance of those offices.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Discourses Concerning Government, 1698
Leadership is best suited to those naturally possessing the virtues needed for effective command.
In simple terms: Leaders need natural virtue.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate virtue for leadership.
Themes
leadership
virtue
government
military
authority
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- military command
- political office
- organizational leadership
Key Concepts
natural talent
political philosophy
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What virtues are essential for modern leaders?
- How can societies identify natural leaders?
A Different Perspective
Virtue alone may not guarantee competence without experience.
![“[A]ll popular and well-mixed governments [republics] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than by virtue: The worst men always conspiring against them, they must fall, if the best have not power to preserve them. . . . [and] unless they be preserved in…” quote by Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/algernon-sidney-20606_conspiring_a-ll-popular-and-well-mixed-governments_696129.jpg)
![“[L]iberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted . . .” quote by Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/65d/algernon-sidney-20606_freedom_l-iberty-cannot-be-preserved-if-the-mann_1577380.jpg)
![“I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect [Donald Trump], or then-president [Barack Obama]. But it's - I'm very clear. I voted for the change that put the Army Field Manual in place as a member of Congress. I understand that law very, very quickly and am also deeply aware…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/761/james-mattis-9515_army_i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-th_3990.jpg)
