Character Quote by C.S. Lewis
““You cannot make men good by law: and without good men you cannot have a good society. That is why we must go on to think of the second thing: of morality inside the individual.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Abolition of Man”, 1943
Law cannot make men good; good men are needed for a good society, and morality must reside within individuals.
In simple terms: Morality is internal, not imposed by law.
Key Takeaway
Develop personal virtue for societal health.
Themes
ethics
individualism
society
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- education
- character building
- policy making
Key Concepts
philosophy
theology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies nurture internal morality?
- What role should law play in ethics?
A Different Perspective
Legal systems may still shape behavior.
![“I know some say, let us have good laws, and no matter for the men that execute them: but let them consider, that though good laws do well, good men do better: for good laws may want good men, and be abolished or evaded [invaded in Franklin's print] by ill men; but good men will never want good…” quote by Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/373/patrick-henry-3071_franklin_i-know-some-say-let-us-have-good-laws-an_839553.jpg)
