Business Quote by Cato the Younger
“Some have said that it is not the business of private men to meddle with government--a bold and dishonest saying, which is fit to come from no mouth but that of a tyrant or a slave. To say that private men have nothing to do with government is to say that private men have nothing to do with their own happiness or misery; that people ought not to concern themselves whether they be naked or clothed, fed or starved, deceived or instructed, protected or destroyed.”
About This Quote
Source Historical Text: De Oratore, 2nd century BC
Private individuals must engage in public affairs because personal welfare is tied to societal governance.
In simple terms: Your life is linked to politics.
Key Takeaway
Participate in civic duties.
Themes
civic duty
political engagement
personal responsibility
Mood
thoughtful
determined
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- voting
- public debate
- community activism
Key Concepts
republicanism
ethics
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivates you to act politically?
- How does personal well‑being depend on government?
A Different Perspective
Not everyone has the capacity or desire to be politically active.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)