--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main question ... is not what motive…" description: "\"The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law, but what it will be possible for men of bad motive to do with the law ...\" — Benjamin Tucker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png" --- # The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law… ![“The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law, but what it will be possible for men of bad motive to do with the law ...” quote by Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png) > “The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law, but what it will be possible for men of bad motive to do with the law ...” [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The key issue is not the law’s motive but what bad actors can do with it. **In simple terms:** Law’s misuse matters more than intent. Key Takeaway Design laws to limit abuse. Themes law ethics misuse Mood analytical critical Type philosophical policy When to use this quote - legislation drafting - policy analysis - civil rights advocacy Key Concepts political theory social control Questions to Reflect On - How can laws anticipate bad motives? - What safeguards prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Even well‑intended laws can be exploited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) ## Related quotes > [You gotta question the purpose you serve for those who invite themselves into your life. Learn who you are and always question the motive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-faiyaz/you-gotta-question-the-purpose-you-serve-for-those-who-invite/) [Brent Faiyaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-faiyaz/) > [One of the greatest advantages of the totalitarian elites of the twenties and thirties was to turn any statement of fact into a question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/one-of-the-greatest-advantages-of-the-totalitarian-elites-of-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [The State is said by some to be a necessary evil; it must be made unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-state-is-said-by-some-to-be-a-necessary-evil-it-must-be-made/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [He who attempts to control another is a governor, an aggressor, an invader; and the nature of such invasion is not changed, whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/he-who-attempts-to-control-another-is-a-governor-an-aggressor-an/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [If the individual has a right to govern himself, all external government is tyranny. Hence the necessity of abolishing the State.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/if-the-individual-has-a-right-to-govern-himself-all-external/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The student of Liberty must constantly endeavor to disassociate his imagination from sanguinary dramas of assassination and revolt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-student-of-liberty-must-constantly-endeavor-to-disassociate-his/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Anarchism is for liberty, and neither for nor against anything else. Anarchy is the mother of co-operation, yes, just as liberty is the mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/anarchism-is-for-liberty-and-neither-for-nor-against-anything-else/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [This, then, is the Anarchistic definition of government: the subjection of the non-invasive individual to an external will...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/this-then-is-the-anarchistic-definition-of-government-the-subjection/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [There are some troubles from which mankind can never escape … have never claimed that liberty will bring perfection; they simply say that its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/there-are-some-troubles-from-which-mankind-can-never-escape-have/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) ## More by Benjamin Tucker > [The claim of the State Socialists, however, that this right would not be exercised in matters pertaining to the individual in the more intimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-claim-of-the-state-socialists-however-that-this-right-would-not/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The shortest way to change a radical into a conservative, a liberal into a tyrant, a man into a beast, is to give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-shortest-way-to-change-a-radical-into-a-conservative-a-liberal/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Socialism, on the contrary, extends its function to the description of society as it should be, and the discovery of the means of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/socialism-on-the-contrary-extends-its-function-to-the-description-of/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [We are here, on earth. Not one of us has any right to the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/we-are-here-on-earth-not-one-of-us-has-any-right-to-the-earth/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The cost of justice can be justly paid only by the invader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-cost-of-justice-can-be-justly-paid-only-by-the-invader/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [For, just as it has been said that there is no half-way house between Rome and Reason, so it may be said that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/for-just-as-it-has-been-said-that-there-is-no-half-way-house-between/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Thus, the same blow that strikes interest down will send wages up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/thus-the-same-blow-that-strikes-interest-down-will-send-wages-up/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [There are some troubles from which mankind can never escape … have never claimed that liberty will bring perfection; they simply say that its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/there-are-some-troubles-from-which-mankind-can-never-escape-have/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The government is a tyrant living by theft, and therefore has no business to engage in any business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-government-is-a-tyrant-living-by-theft-and-therefore-has-no/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Capitalism is at least tolerable, which cannot be said of Socialism or Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/capitalism-is-at-least-tolerable-which-cannot-be-said-of-socialism-or/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [This, then, is the Anarchistic definition of government: the subjection of the non-invasive individual to an external will...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/this-then-is-the-anarchistic-definition-of-government-the-subjection/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Therefore coercion of the non-invasive, when justifiable at all, is to be justified on the ground that it secures, not a minimum of '…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/therefore-coercion-of-the-non-invasive-when-justifiable-at-all-is-to/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Laissez Faire was very good sauce for the goose, labor, but was very poor sauce for the gander, capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/laissez-faire-was-very-good-sauce-for-the-goose-labor-but-was-very/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Anarchism is for liberty, and neither for nor against anything else. Anarchy is the mother of co-operation, yes, just as liberty is the mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/anarchism-is-for-liberty-and-neither-for-nor-against-anything-else/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) [Explore all 69 Benjamin Tucker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) ## More Anarchy quotes > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Perhaps it is this theory of all work and no play that has made the Marxist such a very dull boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/perhaps-it-is-this-theory-of-all-work-and-no-play-that-has-made-the/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Where you have no religion, you are sure to have no government, for as religion disappears, anarchy takes place and fixes a compleat Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-morgan/where-you-have-no-religion-you-are-sure-to-have-no-government-for-as/) [Daniel Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-morgan/) > [What a comfort it is to feel that amid the chaos and anarchy which sweep the surface, God is holding fast the foundations on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/what-a-comfort-it-is-to-feel-that-amid-the-chaos-and-anarchy-which/) [F.B. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 795 Anarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law, but what it will be possible for men of bad motive to do with the law ...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Tucker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-inspired-the-law-but-what-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-inspired-the-law-but-what-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/benjamin-tucker-9951_anarchy_the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-ins_2716301.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The main question ... is not what motive inspired the law, but what it will be possible for men of bad…” — Benjamin Tucker", "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": "Benjamin Tucker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The main question ... is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-inspired-the-law-but-what-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-main-question-is-not-what-motive-inspired-the-law-but-what-it/#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 } } ] } ```