---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing so upholds the laws as the…"
description: "\"Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.\" — Cardinal Richelieu"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg"
---

#  Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons…

![“Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.” quote by Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg)

> “Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.”

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

## About This Quote

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

Justice is best maintained when punishments match the severity of the crime, especially for powerful individuals.

**In simple terms:** Punishment should fit the crime, even for the powerful.

Key Takeaway

Ensure proportional justice.

Themes

law ethics power justice

Mood

serious reflective

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- government
- corporate governance
- judicial proceedings

Key Concepts

social hierarchy legal systems accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- What mechanisms ensure fairness for the powerful?
- How do societies balance power and accountability?

A Different Perspective

Enforcement can be biased by politics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/)

## Related quotes

> [Murder is a horror, but an often necessary horror, never criminal, which it is essential to tolerate in a republican State. Is it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/murder-is-a-horror-but-an-often-necessary-horror-never-criminal-which/)

[Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/)

> [If the people are governed by laws and punishment is used to maintain order, they will try to avoid the punishment but have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-the-people-are-governed-by-laws-and-punishment-is-used-to-maintain/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [“People also felt that a great crime had been committed, yet there was not going to be a great punishment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mclean/people-also-felt-that-a-great-crime-had-been-committed-yet-there-was/)

[Bethany McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mclean/)

> [Behind every great fortune, there lies a great crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mezrich/behind-every-great-fortune-there-lies-a-great-crime/)

[Ben Mezrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mezrich/)

> [“Those who seek to make great fortune without making great effort will soon commit a great crime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/those-who-seek-to-make-great-fortune-without-making-great-effort-will/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [Get Carter remains among the great crime novels, a lean, muscular portrait of a man stumbling along the hard edge - toward redemption. Ted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sallis/get-carter-remains-among-the-great-crime-novels-a-lean-muscular/)

[James Sallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sallis/)

> [The great crime of our time, says Vonnegut, was to do too much good secretly, too much harm openly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-great-crime-of-our-time-says-vonnegut-was-to-do-too-much-good/)

[Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/)

> [I am guilty of the great crime of optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/i-am-guilty-of-the-great-crime-of-optimism/)

[Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/)

> [An aggressive war is the great crime against everything good in the world. A defensive war, which must necessarily turn to aggressive at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/an-aggressive-war-is-the-great-crime-against-everything-good-in-the/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [We are all guilty of crime the great crime of not living life to the full. But we are all potentially free. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/we-are-all-guilty-of-crime-the-great-crime-of-not-living-life-to-the/)

[Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/)

> [For the poor sick present in thisworld as any other great crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-786/for-the-poor-sick-present-in-thisworld-as-any-other-great-crime/)

Mal\_786

> [But I also know that to ignore joy while it lasts, in favor of lamenting one's fate, is a great crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/but-i-also-know-that-to-ignore-joy-while-it-lasts-in-favor-of/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/behind-every-great-fortune-lies-a-great-crime/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [“Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. —HONORÉ DE BALZAC”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/behind-every-great-fortune-lies-a-great-crime-honor-de-balzac/)

[Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/)

> [My great crime in the world is blunder I will get into scrapes without intention or any bad motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stand-watie/my-great-crime-in-the-world-is-blunder-i-will-get-into-scrapes/)

Stand Watie

## More by Cardinal Richelieu

> [I have the consolation of leaving your kingdom in the highest degree of glory and of reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/i-have-the-consolation-of-leaving-your-kingdom-in-the-highest-degree/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [To know how to disguise is the knowledge of kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/to-know-how-to-disguise-is-the-knowledge-of-kings/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [I was excellent. Everybody loved me. I love myself, and I like bums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/i-was-excellent-everybody-loved-me-i-love-myself-and-i-like-bums/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [Give me six lines written by the most honorable of men, and I will find an excuse in them to hang him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/give-me-six-lines-written-by-the-most-honorable-of-men-and-i-will/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/if-you-give-me-six-lines-written-by-the-hand-of-the-most-honest-of/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [Bakers of bread rolls and pastry cooks will not buy grain before eleven o'clock in winter and noon in summer; bakers of large loaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/bakers-of-bread-rolls-and-pastry-cooks-will-not-buy-grain-before/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [When people are too comfortable, it is not possible to restrain them within the bounds of their duty? They may be compared to mules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/when-people-are-too-comfortable-it-is-not-possible-to-restrain-them/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [Reason must be the universal rule and guide; all things must be done according to reason without allowing oneself to be swayed by emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/reason-must-be-the-universal-rule-and-guide-all-things-must-be-done/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [I do not sleep to let others sleep in the shade of my waking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/i-do-not-sleep-to-let-others-sleep-in-the-shade-of-my-waking/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [Happy is the man who dreams dreams, and is prepared topay the price to make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/happy-is-the-man-who-dreams-dreams-and-is-prepared-topay-the-price-to/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [Wise judges are we of each other!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/wise-judges-are-we-of-each-other/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [If God forbade drinking, would He have made wine so good?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/if-god-forbade-drinking-would-he-have-made-wine-so-good/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [A single word has sometimes lost or won an empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/a-single-word-has-sometimes-lost-or-won-an-empire/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [War is one of the scourges with which it has pleased God to afflict men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/war-is-one-of-the-scourges-with-which-it-has-pleased-god-to-afflict/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

> [To mislead a rival, deception is permissable; one may use all means against his enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/to-mislead-a-rival-deception-is-permissable-one-may-use-all-means/)

[Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

[Explore all 34 Cardinal Richelieu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/)

## More Crime quotes

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/)

[Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/)

[Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/)

> [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/)

[Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/)

> [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/)

[Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/)

> [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/)

[Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/)

> [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/)

[Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/)

> [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/)

[Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/)

> [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/)

Avis Bohlen

[Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Cardinal Richelieu"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punishment-of-persons-whose-rank/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Crime"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punishment-of-persons-whose-rank/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/cardinal-richelieu-18456_crime_nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punis_1332852.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.” — Cardinal Richelieu",
                "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": "Cardinal Richelieu",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Nothing so upholds the laws as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punishment-of-persons-whose-rank/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/nothing-so-upholds-the-laws-as-the-punishment-of-persons-whose-rank/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
