--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing is so loved by tyrants as…" description: "\"Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.\" — Clarence Darrow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png" --- # Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects. ![“Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.” quote by Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png) > “Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.” [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tyrants love obedient subjects because they maintain control. **In simple terms:** Oppressive leaders crave compliance. Key Takeaway Encourage critical thinking and dissent. Themes politics power obedience tyranny Mood serious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - class meetings - activist workshops - educational seminars Key Concepts authoritarianism civil disobedience freedom Questions to Reflect On - Why is dissent dangerous for tyrants? - How can societies balance order and freedom? A Different Perspective Some may view obedience as stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Loved Tyrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-tyrants-3167812/) [Obedient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedient/) [Obedient Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedient-subjects-3167813/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Tyrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrants/) [Tyrants Obedient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrants-obedient-3167811/) ## Related quotes > [It is also in the interests of the tyrant to make his subjects poor... the people are so occupied with their daily tasks that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/it-is-also-in-the-interests-of-the-tyrant-to-make-his-subjects-poor/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/let-tyrants-fear-i-have-always-so-behaved-myself-that-under-god-i/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [ For the religious, passivism \[i.e., objects are obedient to the laws of nature\] provides a clear role of God as the author of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ellis/for-the-religious-passivism-i-e-objects-are-obedient-to-the-laws-of/) [Brian Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ellis/) > [You have to have pace, you have to have high production values, you have to have interesting graphics, and you have to have attractive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/you-have-to-have-pace-you-have-to-have-high-production-values-you/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-not-dumb-obedient-slaves-in-an-army-of-destruction-be-heroes-in-an/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [The pain of loneliness is one way in which he wants to get our attention. We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-pain-of-loneliness-is-one-way-in-which-he-wants-to-get-our/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Be ever more obedient to God and He will save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pachomius-the-great/be-ever-more-obedient-to-god-and-he-will-save-you/) [Pachomius the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pachomius-the-great/) > [Sometimes God allows us to explore the 'whys' of His instructions. Other times He wants us to obey 'because He said so.' Has God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/sometimes-god-allows-us-to-explore-the-whys-of-his-instructions-other/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [You know what they want? They want obedient workers. Obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-what-they-want-they-want-obedient-workers-obedient-workers/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Jesus set an example for us to follow: a life of loving, obedient service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/jesus-set-an-example-for-us-to-follow-a-life-of-loving-obedient/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [I do know this... I seem to reach a lot of previously unchurched people. So many people have told me they never went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-do-know-this-i-seem-to-reach-a-lot-of-previously-unchurched-people/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [My worst work happens when I get obedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wincott/my-worst-work-happens-when-i-get-obedient/) [Michael Wincott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wincott/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The good teachings thoughts are not obedient to any religious boundaries . These things are justgood and true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-good-teachings-thoughts-are-not-obedient-to-any-religious/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by Clarence Darrow > [We know life is futile. A man who considers that his life is of very wonderful importance is awfully close to a padded cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/we-know-life-is-futile-a-man-who-considers-that-his-life-is-of-very/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Great wealth often curses all who touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/great-wealth-often-curses-all-who-touch-it/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Punishment as punishment is not admissible unless the offender has had the free will to select his course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/punishment-as-punishment-is-not-admissible-unless-the-offender-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I cannot tell and I shall never know how many words of mine might have given birth to cruelty in place of love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-cannot-tell-and-i-shall-never-know-how-many-words-of-mine-might/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and if no man rebelled, those wrongs would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/as-long-as-the-world-shall-last-there-will-be-wrongs-and-if-no-man/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-have-never-killed-a-man-but-i-have-read-many-obituaries-with-great/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/lost-causes-are-the-only-ones-worth-fighting-for/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [One believes in the truthfulness of a man because of his long experience with the man, and because the man has always told a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-believes-in-the-truthfulness-of-a-man-because-of-his-long/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Physical deformity, calls forth our charity. But the infinite misfortune of moral deformity calls forth nothing but hatred and vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/physical-deformity-calls-forth-our-charity-but-the-infinite/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Men have always been obliged to fight to preserve liberty. Constitutions and laws do not safeguard liberty. It can be preserved only by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/men-have-always-been-obliged-to-fight-to-preserve-liberty/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“ Robert G. Ingersoll was a great man. a wonderful intellect, a great soul of matchless courage, one of the great men of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/robert-g-ingersoll-was-a-great-man-a-wonderful-intellect-a-great-soul/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [The first half of our lives are ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-first-half-of-our-lives-are-ruined-by-our-parents-and-the-second/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where-did-it-come-from-and-where/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) [Explore all 213 Clarence Darrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## More Obedient quotes > [The good teachings thoughts are not obedient to any religious boundaries . These things are justgood and true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-good-teachings-thoughts-are-not-obedient-to-any-religious/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [My worst work happens when I get obedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wincott/my-worst-work-happens-when-i-get-obedient/) [Michael Wincott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wincott/) > [I do know this... I seem to reach a lot of previously unchurched people. So many people have told me they never went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-do-know-this-i-seem-to-reach-a-lot-of-previously-unchurched-people/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Jesus set an example for us to follow: a life of loving, obedient service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/jesus-set-an-example-for-us-to-follow-a-life-of-loving-obedient/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [You know what they want? They want obedient workers. Obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-what-they-want-they-want-obedient-workers-obedient-workers/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Sometimes God allows us to explore the 'whys' of His instructions. Other times He wants us to obey 'because He said so.' Has God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/sometimes-god-allows-us-to-explore-the-whys-of-his-instructions-other/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Be ever more obedient to God and He will save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pachomius-the-great/be-ever-more-obedient-to-god-and-he-will-save-you/) [Pachomius the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pachomius-the-great/) > [The pain of loneliness is one way in which he wants to get our attention. We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-pain-of-loneliness-is-one-way-in-which-he-wants-to-get-our/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-not-dumb-obedient-slaves-in-an-army-of-destruction-be-heroes-in-an/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [You have to have pace, you have to have high production values, you have to have interesting graphics, and you have to have attractive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/you-have-to-have-pace-you-have-to-have-high-production-values-you/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [ For the religious, passivism \[i.e., objects are obedient to the laws of nature\] provides a clear role of God as the author of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ellis/for-the-religious-passivism-i-e-objects-are-obedient-to-the-laws-of/) [Brian Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ellis/) > [“When you are obedient to God, He fills you with His Spirit and empowers you to do all He asks of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/when-you-are-obedient-to-god-he-fills-you-with-his-spirit-and/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [When the ruler is obedient to God, God is his protector and friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/when-the-ruler-is-obedient-to-god-god-is-his-protector-and-friend/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) [Browse all 306 Obedient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clarence Darrow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedient-subjects/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Obedient" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedient-subjects/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/clarence-darrow-1714_obedient_nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedie_1139121.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.” — Clarence Darrow", "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": "Clarence Darrow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nothing is so loved by tyrants...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedient-subjects/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/nothing-is-so-loved-by-tyrants-as-obedient-subjects/#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 } } ] } ```