--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The arbitrary rule of a just and…" description: "\"The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad. His virtues are the most dangerous and the surest form of seduction: they lull a peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/denis-diderot-1536_arbitrary_the-arbitrary-rule-of-a-just-and-enlight_3232120.jpg" --- # The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is… ![“The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad. His virtues are the most dangerous and the surest form of seduction: they lull a people imperceptibly into the habit of loving, respecting, and serving his successor, whoever that successor may be, no matter how wicked or stupid.” quote by Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/denis-diderot-1536_arbitrary_the-arbitrary-rule-of-a-just-and-enlight_3232120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/denis-diderot-1536_arbitrary_the-arbitrary-rule-of-a-just-and-enlight_3232120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/denis-diderot-1536_arbitrary_the-arbitrary-rule-of-a-just-and-enlight_3232120.jpg) > “The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad. His virtues are the most dangerous and the surest form of seduction: they lull a people imperceptibly into the habit of loving, respecting, and serving his successor, whoever that successor may be, no matter how wicked or stupid.” [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A ruler's virtue can become a seductive trap, making people obedient to any successor, regardless of merit. **In simple terms:** Virtuous leaders may unintentionally create blind loyalty. Key Takeaway Beware of blind loyalty to authority. Themes politics power leadership Mood cautious critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government transitions - public persuasion - cult of personality Key Concepts seduction authority psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can societies maintain critical thinking? - What safeguards prevent power abuse? A Different Perspective Virtue alone does not guarantee good governance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Seduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seduction/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) ## Related quotes > [Virtues are dangerous as vices insofar as they are allowed to rule over one as authorities and not as qualities one develops oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/virtues-are-dangerous-as-vices-insofar-as-they-are-allowed-to-rule/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/now-the-reason-the-enlightened-prince-and-the-wise-general-conquer/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In a book, you can kind of take time and have lulls in places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-ball/in-a-book-you-can-kind-of-take-time-and-have-lulls-in-places/) [Wes Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-ball/) > [It is said that it is far more difficult to hold and maintain leadership (liberty) than it is to attain it. Success is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-j-tilden/it-is-said-that-it-is-far-more-difficult-to-hold-and-maintain/) Samuel J. Tilden > [ritual lulls our fear of disorder with the certainty of order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-broner/ritual-lulls-our-fear-of-disorder-with-the-certainty-of-order/) [E. M. Broner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-broner/) > [Between highway sounds I heard waves and thought how the curve of the coastline here had sheltered and nurtured live-born sharks, humans, and migrating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/between-highway-sounds-i-heard-waves-and-thought-how-the-curve-of-the/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [There was the man who seemed to be attempting to decieve his ball and lull it into a false sense of security by looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/there-was-the-man-who-seemed-to-be-attempting-to-decieve-his-ball-and/) [P. G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-2/) > [Cultures that may seem as durable as stone can break like glass, leaving all the things that held them together unattended. I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-shadid/cultures-that-may-seem-as-durable-as-stone-can-break-like-glass/) [Anthony Shadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-shadid/) > [Presently, we were aware of an odour gradually coming towards us, something musky, fiery, savoury, mysterious, - a hot drowsy smell, that lulls the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/presently-we-were-aware-of-an-odour-gradually-coming-towards-us/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“When I finally came in and complained, she tried to explain, not for the first time, how exquisitely boring it was to watch surfing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/when-i-finally-came-in-and-complained-she-tried-to-explain-not-for/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [Nothing lulls and inebriates like money; when you have a lot, the world seems a better place than it actually is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/nothing-lulls-and-inebriates-like-money-when-you-have-a-lot-the-world/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [ Somebody said, 'Hey, there is a lull in your career. Why don't you write books about your \[dyslexia\]?' We are currently writing our 34th… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/somebody-said-hey-there-is-a-lull-in-your-career-why-don-t-you-write/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [Lull'd in the countless chambers of the brain, Our thoughts are link'd by many a hidden chain; Awake but one, and lo, what myriads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rogers/lull-d-in-the-countless-chambers-of-the-brain-our-thoughts-are-link-d/) [Samuel Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rogers/) > [“But it is not glorious lulls that concern me. It is the lulls that have no velocity, that offer no structured reassurance, that bloom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyo-maclear/but-it-is-not-glorious-lulls-that-concern-me-it-is-the-lulls-that/) [Kyo Maclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyo-maclear/) > [Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? Shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell? Are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fool-s-paradise-shall-we-lull-them-into-soft/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Denis Diderot > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One declaims endlessly against the passions; one imputes all of man's suffering to them. One forgets that they are also the source of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-declaims-endlessly-against-the-passions-one-imputes-all-of-man-s/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Time, matter, space - all, it may be, are no more than a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/time-matter-space-all-it-may-be-are-no-more-than-a-point/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/we-are-far-more-liable-to-catch-the-vices-than-the-virtues-of-our/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One composition is meagre, though it has many figures; another is rich, though it has few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-composition-is-meagre-though-it-has-many-figures-another-is-rich/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [The world is the house of the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/the-world-is-the-house-of-the-strong/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“One swallows the lie that flatters, but sips the bitter truth drop by drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-swallows-the-lie-that-flatters-but-sips-the-bitter-truth-drop-by/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is less harm to be suffered in being mad among madmen than in being sane all by oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-less-harm-to-be-suffered-in-being-mad-among-madmen-than-in/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Integrity is the evidence of all civil virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/integrity-is-the-evidence-of-all-civil-virtues/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/watch-out-for-the-fellow-who-talks-about-putting-things-in-order/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“Nie wiem, co to zasady, chyba że tak nazywamy prawidła, które przypisuje się innym, a nie sobie. Myślę tak, a nie umiałbym się powstrzymać…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/nie-wiem-co-to-zasady-chyba-e-tak-nazywamy-prawid-a-kt-re-przypisuje/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-no-good-father-who-would-want-to-resemble-our-heavenly-father/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Isn't it better to have men being ungrateful than to miss a chance to do good?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/isn-t-it-better-to-have-men-being-ungrateful-than-to-miss-a-chance-to/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [A nation which thinks that it is belief in God and not good law which makes people honest does not seem to me very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/a-nation-which-thinks-that-it-is-belief-in-god-and-not-good-law-which/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) [Explore all 210 Denis Diderot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## More Arbitrary quotes > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) Edward Einhorn > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/not-to-be-offensive-not-to-be-capricious-not-to-be-arbitrary-not-to/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Habit is altogether too arbitrary a master for me to submit to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/habit-is-altogether-too-arbitrary-a-master-for-me-to-submit-to/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/i-look-back-now-and-i-know-that-the-naming-moment-which-seemed-so/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/contrary-to-what-certain-governments-say-human-rights-are-universal/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [What causes adolescents to rebel is not the assertion of authority but the arbitrary use of power, with little explanation of the rules and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/what-causes-adolescents-to-rebel-is-not-the-assertion-of-authority/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [There is something on earth greater than arbitrary or despotic power. The lightning has its power, and the whirlwind has its power, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/there-is-something-on-earth-greater-than-arbitrary-or-despotic-power/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [“nothing is arbitrary in this whole world, there is a good reason behind each and everything…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-kumar/nothing-is-arbitrary-in-this-whole-world-there-is-a-good-reason/) Nikhil Kumar > [Fundamentally, adopting rules without any estimate of the impact is the height of arbitrary decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-rielly/fundamentally-adopting-rules-without-any-estimate-of-the-impact-is/) [Michael O'Rielly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-rielly/) > [No arbitrary regulation, no act of the legislature, can add anything to the capital of the country; it can only force it into artificial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ramsay-mcculloch/no-arbitrary-regulation-no-act-of-the-legislature-can-add-anything-to/) John Ramsay McCulloch > [But the desire of obtaining the advantages, and of escaping the burthens, of political society, is a perpetual and inexhaustible source of discord; nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/but-the-desire-of-obtaining-the-advantages-and-of-escaping-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) Browse all 529 Arbitrary quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad. 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