--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who exercises government by means of…" description: "\"He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg" --- # He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be… ![“He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg) > “He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtuous leadership serves as a stable guide, like the North Star, attracting others **In simple terms:** Good leadership provides steady direction for followers Key Takeaway Lead by virtue Themes leadership virtue guidance Mood wise inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical leadership When to use this quote - government reform - team management - community organizing - education Key Concepts moral philosophy political theory role models Questions to Reflect On - What qualities complement virtue in effective leadership? - How can leaders maintain integrity under pressure? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not be sufficient without practical skill ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“Of course, I'm dying to be about for ever so long. I'll ask the King to find me the polar star. I must have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/of-course-i-m-dying-to-be-about-for-ever-so-long-i-ll-ask-the-king-to/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Our love will last till the stars turn cold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/singin-in-the-rain/our-love-will-last-till-the-stars-turn-cold/) Singin' in the Rain > [Scientists with access to data from Navy submarines traversing underneath the North polar ice cap have warned that there is now a 75 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/scientists-with-access-to-data-from-navy-submarines-traversing/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [And suddenly it didn't seem to matter any more, nothing would matter if she could turn over, turn over and see the stars, turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/and-suddenly-it-didn-t-seem-to-matter-any-more-nothing-would-matter/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The entire North Polar ice cap is disappearing before our very eyes. It's been the size of the continental United States for the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-entire-north-polar-ice-cap-is-disappearing-before-our-very-eyes/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-does-not-even-for-the-space-of-a-single-meal-act/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There are three things against which the wise man guards: lust when young, quarrels when strong, and covetousness when old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-are-three-things-against-which-the-wise-man-guards-lust-when/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [ “For her \[Françoise\], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-necessary-condition-without-which/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [... 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. 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He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of-his-virtue-may-be-compared-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of-his-virtue-may-be-compared-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/confucius-164_government_he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of_1063224.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its…” — Confucius", "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": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He who exercises government by means...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of-his-virtue-may-be-compared-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-exercises-government-by-means-of-his-virtue-may-be-compared-to/#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 } } ] } ```