--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No government is safe unless it is…" description: "\"No government is safe unless it is protected by the good will of the people.\" — Cornelius Nepos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png" --- # No government is safe unless it is protected by the good… ![“No government is safe unless it is protected by the good will of the people.” quote by Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png) > “No government is safe unless it is protected by the good will of the people.” [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A government remains secure only when its citizens genuinely support and protect it. **In simple terms:** People’s goodwill keeps a state safe. Key Takeaway Cultivate civic engagement and trust. Themes civic duty trust government legitimacy public will Mood reflective concerned Type political philosophical When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public discourse - policy advocacy Key Concepts social contract political stability collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens actively demonstrate goodwill toward their government? - What mechanisms ensure government accountability to the people? A Different Perspective If citizens are apathetic, protection fails. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-will/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [No government is safe unless fortified by goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-fortified-by-goodwill/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [“Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun, and you might meet 'em both if you show up here not welcome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-thompson/our-houses-are-protected-by-the-good-lord-and-a-gun-and-you-might/) Josh Thompson > [The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-liberties-of-none-are-safe-unless-the-liberties-of-all-are/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Prosperity seems to be scarcely safe, unless it be mixed with a little adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/prosperity-seems-to-be-scarcely-safe-unless-it-be-mixed-with-a-little/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Well, it's always, though, safer in politics to avoid risk, to just kind of go along with the status quo. But I didn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/well-it-s-always-though-safer-in-politics-to-avoid-risk-to-just-kind/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [The influence over government must be shared among all the people. If every individual which composes their mass participates of the ultimate authority, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-influence-over-government-must-be-shared-among-all-the-people-if/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I deem no government safe which is under the vassalage of any self-constituted authorities, or any other authority than that of the nation, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-deem-no-government-safe-which-is-under-the-vassalage-of-any-self/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Even more fundamental than housing to the global financial economy is the idea that the U.S. government is a safe asset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-klein/even-more-fundamental-than-housing-to-the-global-financial-economy-is/) [Ezra Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-klein/) > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Without good-will, no man has any presumptive right, except the right or opportunity to change his will, so long as there is hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ernest-hocking/without-good-will-no-man-has-any-presumptive-right-except-the-right/) [William Ernest Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ernest-hocking/) > [In the end we are always rewarded for our good will, our patience, fair-mindedness, and gentleness with what is strange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-we-are-always-rewarded-for-our-good-will-our-patience-fair/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I am an optimist, and I believe that people are inherently good and that if you give everyone a voice and freedom of expression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/i-am-an-optimist-and-i-believe-that-people-are-inherently-good-and/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## More by Cornelius Nepos > [In friendship similarity of character has more weight than kinship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/in-friendship-similarity-of-character-has-more-weight-than-kinship/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [That evil can never be great which is the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/that-evil-can-never-be-great-which-is-the-last/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [No government is safe unless fortified by goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-fortified-by-goodwill/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [After darkness comes the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/after-darkness-comes-the-light/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [So that he seemed not to relinquish life, but to leave one home for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/so-that-he-seemed-not-to-relinquish-life-but-to-leave-one-home-for/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [Peace is obtained by war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/peace-is-obtained-by-war/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [Tasteful rather than expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/tasteful-rather-than-expensive/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [So that he seemed to depart not from life, but from one home to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/so-that-he-seemed-to-depart-not-from-life-but-from-one-home-to-another/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [Hateful is the power, and pitiable is the life, of those who wish to be feared rather than loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/hateful-is-the-power-and-pitiable-is-the-life-of-those-who-wish-to-be/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [No evil is great if it is the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-evil-is-great-if-it-is-the-last/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) > [The power is detested, and miserable the life, of him who wishes to be feared rather than to be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/the-power-is-detested-and-miserable-the-life-of-him-who-wishes-to-be/) [Cornelius Nepos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) [Explore all 12 Cornelius Nepos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/) ## More Good will quotes > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I am an optimist, and I believe that people are inherently good and that if you give everyone a voice and freedom of expression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/i-am-an-optimist-and-i-believe-that-people-are-inherently-good-and/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In the end we are always rewarded for our good will, our patience, fair-mindedness, and gentleness with what is strange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-we-are-always-rewarded-for-our-good-will-our-patience-fair/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Without good-will, no man has any presumptive right, except the right or opportunity to change his will, so long as there is hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ernest-hocking/without-good-will-no-man-has-any-presumptive-right-except-the-right/) [William Ernest Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ernest-hocking/) > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?... No one should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/if-someone-is-gay-and-is-searching-for-the-lord-and-has-good-will/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Inspiration and creativity, they ride right next to one anotherNot everyday are you going to wake up, the clouds are gonna part and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/inspiration-and-creativity-they-ride-right-next-to-one-anothernot/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [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/) > [The real essentials of life - compassion, kindness, good will, forgiveness - are what is fundamental to living as a true human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eknath-easwaran/the-real-essentials-of-life-compassion-kindness-good-will-forgiveness/) [Eknath Easwaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eknath-easwaran/) > [To laughter! The bright coinage of the bank of good will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minna-antrim/to-laughter-the-bright-coinage-of-the-bank-of-good-will/) [Minna Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minna-antrim/) > [Scatter good will and love and prayers all around, everywhere, and you will be astonished, not only by what it does for other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/scatter-good-will-and-love-and-prayers-all-around-everywhere-and-you/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Why is the tao so valuable? Because it is everywhere, and everyone can use it. This is why those who seek will find, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/why-is-the-tao-so-valuable-because-it-is-everywhere-and-everyone-can/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Judenhass is endlessly disturbing, often unpleasant and incessantly horrifying in its stark coldness. The quotes should never be forgotten or made light of. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-wolfman/judenhass-is-endlessly-disturbing-often-unpleasant-and-incessantly/) [Marv Wolfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-wolfman/) [Browse all 321 Good will quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-will/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No government is safe unless it is protected by the good will of the people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cornelius Nepos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-protected-by-the-good-will-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good will" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-protected-by-the-good-will-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/cornelius-nepos-36855_good-will_no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-prote_449064.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No government is safe unless it is protected by the good will of the people.” — Cornelius Nepos", "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": "Cornelius Nepos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-nepos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No government is safe unless it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-protected-by-the-good-will-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-nepos/no-government-is-safe-unless-it-is-protected-by-the-good-will-of-the/#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 } } ] } ```