---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tis hard to comprehend how one man can…"
description: "\"Tis hard to comprehend how one man can come to be master of many, equal to himself in right, unless it be by consent or by force.\" — Algernon Sidney"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/algernon-sidney-20606_consent_tis-hard-to-comprehend-how-one-man-can-c_1922411.png"
---

#  Tis hard to comprehend how one man can come to be master…

![“Tis hard to comprehend how one man can come to be master of many, equal to himself in right, unless it be by consent or by force.” quote by Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/algernon-sidney-20606_consent_tis-hard-to-comprehend-how-one-man-can-c_1922411.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/algernon-sidney-20606_consent_tis-hard-to-comprehend-how-one-man-can-c_1922411.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c10/algernon-sidney-20606_consent_tis-hard-to-comprehend-how-one-man-can-c_1922411.png)

> “Tis hard to comprehend how one man can come to be master of many, equal to himself in right, unless it be by consent or by force.”

[Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Power over others is justified only by consent or force; otherwise it is illegitimate.

**In simple terms:** Power needs consent or force.

Key Takeaway

Seek legitimate authority.

Themes

politics authority legitimacy

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- government formation
- leadership decisions
- civil movements

Key Concepts

social contract coercion ethical governance

Questions to Reflect On

- Is consent always possible?
- When is force justified?

A Different Perspective

Consent may be hard to obtain in practice.

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[Consent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

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> [We live in an age rather skeptical of truth, of its existence." There is a "tendency to believe that nothing is definitive, and think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/we-live-in-an-age-rather-skeptical-of-truth-of-its-existence-there-is/)

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> [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/)

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> [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

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## More by Algernon Sidney

> [If vice and corruption prevail, liberty cannot subsist; but if virtue have the advantage, arbitrary power cannot be established.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/if-vice-and-corruption-prevail-liberty-cannot-subsist-but-if-virtue/)

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[Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/)

> [Men lived like fishes; the great ones devoured the small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/men-lived-like-fishes-the-great-ones-devoured-the-small/)

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> [ \[A\]ll popular and well-mixed governments \[republics\] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/a-ll-popular-and-well-mixed-governments-republics-are-ever/)

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> [Everyone sees they cannot well live asunder, nor many together, without some rule to which all must submit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/everyone-sees-they-cannot-well-live-asunder-nor-many-together-without/)

[Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/)

> [For violence or fraud can create no right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/for-violence-or-fraud-can-create-no-right/)

[Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/)

> [It is not necessary to light a candle to the sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/it-is-not-necessary-to-light-a-candle-to-the-sun/)

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> [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/)

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