--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To govern is always to choose among…" description: "\"To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.\" — Charles de Gaulle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg" --- # To govern is always to choose among disadvantages. ![“To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.” quote by Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg) > “To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.” [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership inevitably involves selecting the lesser of multiple unfavorable options, acknowledging that no choice is perfect. **In simple terms:** Choosing in leadership always means picking the less bad option. Key Takeaway Accept trade‑offs and make the best of imperfect choices. Themes leadership decision‑making politics Mood serious thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government policy - business strategy - personal life decisions - crisis management Key Concepts trade‑offs ethical dilemmas strategic choice Questions to Reflect On - What criteria help you prioritize when all options have downsides? - Can you ever find a truly good choice? A Different Perspective All options may have serious drawbacks, making outcomes uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose Disadvantages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-disadvantages-5765110/) [Disadvantages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disadvantages/) [Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern/) [Govern Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern-choose-2031121/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing indicates the soundness of a man's judgment so much as knowing how to choose between two disadvantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-paul-de-gondi/nothing-indicates-the-soundness-of-a-man-s-judgment-so-much-as/) [Jean Francois Paul de Gondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-paul-de-gondi/) > [Everything we do in public policy prevents us from doing something else. To govern is to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lamm/everything-we-do-in-public-policy-prevents-us-from-doing-something/) [Richard Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lamm/) > [Our responsibility is one of decision, for to govern is to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/our-responsibility-is-one-of-decision-for-to-govern-is-to-choose/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We make our own future; we govern ourselves, and to govern is to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-make-our-own-future-we-govern-ourselves-and-to-govern-is-to-choose/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [To govern is to choose. To appear to be unable to choose is to appear to be unable to govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lawson/to-govern-is-to-choose-to-appear-to-be-unable-to-choose-is-to-appear/) [Nigel Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lawson/) > [One cannot govern with 'buts'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/one-cannot-govern-with-buts/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/how-can-anyone-govern-a-nation-that-has-two-hundred-and-forty-six/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/how-can-you-govern-a-country-which-has-246-varieties-of-cheese/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [the crucial disadvantage of aggression, competitiveness and skepticism as national characteristics is that these qualities cannot be turned off at five o'clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-crucial-disadvantage-of-aggression-competitiveness-and-skepticism/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [I've been winning with 70 percent of the vote, and if you look at my district, you know it's a majority Christian district, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-winning-with-70-percent-of-the-vote-and-if-you-look-at-my/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Many men without morals have attacked religion because it was contrary to their inclinations. Many wise men have despised it because it seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/many-men-without-morals-have-attacked-religion-because-it-was/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/faith-is-always-at-a-disadvantage-it-is-a-perpetually-defeated-thing/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [We are lagging far behind comparable countries in overcoming the disadvantages Indigenous people face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-fraser/we-are-lagging-far-behind-comparable-countries-in-overcoming-the/) [Malcolm Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-fraser/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) ## More by Charles de Gaulle > [Don't ask who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/don-t-ask-who-s-influenced-me-a-lion-is-made-up-of-the-lambs-he-s/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“Have you ever seen a dictator on a run-off ballot? \[Responding to the charges of a dictatorial bent, after being forced into a run-off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/have-you-ever-seen-a-dictator-on-a-run-off-ballot-responding-to-the/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [The future does not belong to men...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/the-future-does-not-belong-to-men/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [We are not here to laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/we-are-not-here-to-laugh/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [France cannot be France without greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/france-cannot-be-france-without-greatness/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-politics-are-too-serious-a-matter/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Authority doesn't work without prestige, or prestige without distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/authority-doesn-t-work-without-prestige-or-prestige-without-distance/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Today we are crushed by the sheer weight of the mechanized forces hurled against us, but we can still look to the future in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/today-we-are-crushed-by-the-sheer-weight-of-the-mechanized-forces/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Difficulty attracts the man of character because it is in embracing it that he realizes himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/difficulty-attracts-the-man-of-character-because-it-is-in-embracing/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Only by coming to grips with difficulty can you realize your full potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/only-by-coming-to-grips-with-difficulty-can-you-realize-your-full/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/how-can-you-govern-a-country-which-has-246-varieties-of-cheese/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/how-can-anyone-govern-a-nation-that-has-two-hundred-and-forty-six/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/silence-is-the-ultimate-weapon-of-power/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Nothing builds authority up like silence, splendor of the strong and shelter of the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/nothing-builds-authority-up-like-silence-splendor-of-the-strong-and/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [As an adolescent I was convinced that France would have to go through gigantic trials, that the interest of life consisted in one day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/as-an-adolescent-i-was-convinced-that-france-would-have-to-go-through/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) [Explore all 153 Charles de Gaulle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) [RoderickTheFirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderickthefirst/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) [Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles de Gaulle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disadvantages/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disadvantages/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/charles-de-gaulle-2714_choose_to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disa_3169862.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.” — Charles de Gaulle", "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": "Charles de Gaulle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To govern is always to choose...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disadvantages/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/to-govern-is-always-to-choose-among-disadvantages/#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 } } ] } ```