--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are bad examples which are worse…" description: "\"There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.\" — Bar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png" --- # There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and… ![“There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.” quote by Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png) > “There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.” [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality can be more destructive than law when societies ignore ethical standards, leading to greater decay than legal violations alone. **In simple terms:** Immoral actions can cause more harm than breaking laws. Key Takeaway Uphold moral values alongside legal frameworks. Themes morality law societal decay ethical standards Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - government policy - public behavior - legal reform - education programs Key Concepts philosophy political theory social contract Questions to Reflect On - What role should education play in reinforcing morality? - Can laws be effective without a shared moral foundation? A Different Perspective Legal systems alone cannot prevent moral collapse; culture matters too. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-example/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Violation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation/) ## Related quotes > [Old men are fond of giving good advice to console themselves for their inability to give bad examples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/old-men-are-fond-of-giving-good-advice-to-console-themselves-for/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“We tend to learn from bad examples, but we should take care not to use bad examples as a rationalization of our own bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-burnham-martin/we-tend-to-learn-from-bad-examples-but-we-should-take-care-not-to-use/) [Cathy Burnham Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-burnham-martin/) > [“ There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-worse-crimes-than-burning-books-one-of-them-is-not-reading-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-worse-crimes-than-burning-books-one-of-them-is-not-reading/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“BARBIE GOES TO WAR There are more than a billion Barbies. Only the Chinese outnumber them. The most beloved woman on the planet would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/barbie-goes-to-war-there-are-more-than-a-billion-barbies-only-the/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Whatever parent gives his children good instruction and sets them at the same time a bad example, may be considered as bringing them food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-balguy/whatever-parent-gives-his-children-good-instruction-and-sets-them-at/) John Balguy > [Greenlight is a bad example of an election process. We came to the conclusion pretty quickly that we could just do away with Greenlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-newell/greenlight-is-a-bad-example-of-an-election-process-we-came-to-the/) [Gabe Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-newell/) > [Nothing is more confusing than people who give good advice but set a bad example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/nothing-is-more-confusing-than-people-who-give-good-advice-but-set-a/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Feminism is not a fad. It's not like Angry Birds. Although it does involve a lot of angry birds. Bad example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-christie/feminism-is-not-a-fad-it-s-not-like-angry-birds-although-it-does/) [Bridget Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-christie/) > [I like putting my money into things like food and shelter. I'm probably a bad example of an investor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baker/i-like-putting-my-money-into-things-like-food-and-shelter-i-m/) [Simon Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baker/) > [“Claire was just coming down the stairs, humming and thinking about how nice it was to have things getting back to normal, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/claire-was-just-coming-down-the-stairs-humming-and-thinking-about-how/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [When you have girlfriend, there is no room for lies, no room for anything but truth.anything other that is a bad example, I believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/when-you-have-girlfriend-there-is-no-room-for-lies-no-room-for/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [The NBA's chosen ones think I'm setting a bad example? I think they need to look around and stop taking themselves so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/the-nba-s-chosen-ones-think-i-m-setting-a-bad-example-i-think-they/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [Recipients of transfers set a bad example for others, including their children, other relatives, and friends, who see that one can receive goods, services,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/recipients-of-transfers-set-a-bad-example-for-others-including-their/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) ## More by Baron de Montesquieu > [When the savages of Louisiana wish to have fruit, they cut the tree at the bottom and gather the fruit. That is exactly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-the-savages-of-louisiana-wish-to-have-fruit-they-cut-the-tree-at/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Political liberty in a citizen is that tranquillity of spirit which comes from the opinion each one has of his security, and in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/political-liberty-in-a-citizen-is-that-tranquillity-of-spirit-which/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [It is rare to find learned men who are clean, do not stink and have a sense of humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/it-is-rare-to-find-learned-men-who-are-clean-do-not-stink-and-have-a/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [When virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it and avarice possesses the whole community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-virtue-is-banished-ambition-invades-the-minds-of-those-who-are/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Vitam Impendere Vero (I consecrate my life to truth).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/vitam-impendere-vero-i-consecrate-my-life-to-truth/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/a-good-writer-does-not-write-as-people-write-but-as-he-writes/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [A rational army would run away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/a-rational-army-would-run-away/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Christianity stamped its character on jurisprudence; for empire has ever a connection with the priesthood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/christianity-stamped-its-character-on-jurisprudence-for-empire-has/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Trade is the best cure for prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/trade-is-the-best-cure-for-prejudice/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [The prejudices of superstition are superior to all others, and have the strongest influence on the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/the-prejudices-of-superstition-are-superior-to-all-others-and-have/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Republics are brought to their ends by luxury; monarchies by poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/republics-are-brought-to-their-ends-by-luxury-monarchies-by-poverty/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Laws, in their most general signification, are the necessary relations derived from the nature of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/laws-in-their-most-general-signification-are-the-necessary-relations/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Politics are a smooth file, which cuts gradually, and attains its end by slow progression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/politics-are-a-smooth-file-which-cuts-gradually-and-attains-its-end/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [The crime against nature will never make any great progress in society unless people are prompted to it by some particular custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/the-crime-against-nature-will-never-make-any-great-progress-in/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [When a government is arrived to that degree of corruption as to be incapable of reforming itself, it would not lose much by being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-a-government-is-arrived-to-that-degree-of-corruption-as-to-be/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) [Explore all 142 Baron de Montesquieu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) ## More Bad example quotes > [Recipients of transfers set a bad example for others, including their children, other relatives, and friends, who see that one can receive goods, services,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/recipients-of-transfers-set-a-bad-example-for-others-including-their/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [The NBA's chosen ones think I'm setting a bad example? I think they need to look around and stop taking themselves so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/the-nba-s-chosen-ones-think-i-m-setting-a-bad-example-i-think-they/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [When you have girlfriend, there is no room for lies, no room for anything but truth.anything other that is a bad example, I believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/when-you-have-girlfriend-there-is-no-room-for-lies-no-room-for/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [“Claire was just coming down the stairs, humming and thinking about how nice it was to have things getting back to normal, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/claire-was-just-coming-down-the-stairs-humming-and-thinking-about-how/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [I like putting my money into things like food and shelter. I'm probably a bad example of an investor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baker/i-like-putting-my-money-into-things-like-food-and-shelter-i-m/) [Simon Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baker/) > [Feminism is not a fad. It's not like Angry Birds. Although it does involve a lot of angry birds. Bad example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-christie/feminism-is-not-a-fad-it-s-not-like-angry-birds-although-it-does/) [Bridget Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-christie/) > [Nothing is more confusing than people who give good advice but set a bad example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/nothing-is-more-confusing-than-people-who-give-good-advice-but-set-a/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Greenlight is a bad example of an election process. We came to the conclusion pretty quickly that we could just do away with Greenlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-newell/greenlight-is-a-bad-example-of-an-election-process-we-came-to-the/) [Gabe Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-newell/) > [Whatever parent gives his children good instruction and sets them at the same time a bad example, may be considered as bringing them food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-balguy/whatever-parent-gives-his-children-good-instruction-and-sets-them-at/) John Balguy > [“BARBIE GOES TO WAR There are more than a billion Barbies. Only the Chinese outnumber them. The most beloved woman on the planet would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/barbie-goes-to-war-there-are-more-than-a-billion-barbies-only-the/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Who said I was wise? I’m a professional bad example. You can learn a lot by watching me. Or listening to me. Either one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jubal/who-said-i-was-wise-i-m-a-professional-bad-example-you-can-learn-a/) Jubal > [I know I'm bad atleast I can be used as BAD EXAMPLE!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-i-m-bad-atleast-i-can-be-used-as-bad-example/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But as a Christian, let me say Merry Christmas on a national holiday called Christmas and you’d think Satan incarnate himself just showed up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/but-as-a-christian-let-me-say-merry-christmas-on-a-national-holiday/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [The truth is very few of us are related to Napoleon or Cleopatra. Although, those are bad examples as I am actually descended from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-piddock/the-truth-is-very-few-of-us-are-related-to-napoleon-or-cleopatra/) [Jim Piddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-piddock/) [Browse all 86 Bad example quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-example/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Baron de Montesquieu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-than-crimes-and-more-states/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad example" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-than-crimes-and-more-states/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/baron-de-montesquieu-3012_bad-example_there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-t_595742.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of…” — Baron de Montesquieu", "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": "Baron de Montesquieu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are bad examples which are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-than-crimes-and-more-states/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/there-are-bad-examples-which-are-worse-than-crimes-and-more-states/#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 } } ] } ```