--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society is the master, and man is the…" description: "\"Society is the master, and man is the servant.\" — George Augustus Henry Sala" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png" --- # Society is the master, and man is the servant. ![“Society is the master, and man is the servant.” quote by George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png) > “Society is the master, and man is the servant.” [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society dictates roles, making individuals serve its rules and expectations. **In simple terms:** Society controls individual behavior. Key Takeaway Question societal expectations. Themes society control individual agency power structure Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical social critique When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - political activism - education reform - personal decision making Key Concepts sociology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do you conform or rebel? - How can you influence societal change? A Different Perspective Individuals can resist or reshape societal norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [The state is or can be master of money, but in a free society it is master of very little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beveridge/the-state-is-or-can-be-master-of-money-but-in-a-free-society-it-is/) [William Beveridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beveridge/) > [“I had merely announced to her my intention of keeping a man-servant,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-had-merely-announced-to-her-my-intention-of-keeping-a-man-servant/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In the master there is a servant, in the servant a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/in-the-master-there-is-a-servant-in-the-servant-a-master/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“This man was no servant. She looked up at him in acute agitation and knew: this man was now her master.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/this-man-was-no-servant-she-looked-up-at-him-in-acute-agitation-and/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much and so much only as he has observed in fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/man-being-the-servant-and-interpreter-of-nature-can-do-and-understand/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Work was made for man, and not man for work. Work is man's servant, both in its results to the worker and the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/work-was-made-for-man-and-not-man-for-work-work-is-man-s-servant-both/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [There is no one so radical as a man-servant whose freedom of the champagne bin has been interfered with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-no-one-so-radical-as-a-man-servant-whose-freedom-of-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“Why must I always be a man's servant?" Lada demanded. "If anything, I should be partners with the devil, not his servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/why-must-i-always-be-a-man-s-servant-lada-demanded-if-anything-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [The great man is to be the servant of mankind, not they of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/the-great-man-is-to-be-the-servant-of-mankind-not-they-of-him/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [Practice, the master of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus/practice-the-master-of-all-things/) [Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus/) > [There is no greater pride and glory than to be a perfect instrument of the Master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/there-is-no-greater-pride-and-glory-than-to-be-a-perfect-instrument/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Keep your eyes on the Master, because He knows things we do not know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/keep-your-eyes-on-the-master-because-he-knows-things-we-do-not-know/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [Play always as if in the presence of a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schumann/play-always-as-if-in-the-presence-of-a-master/) [Robert Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schumann/) > [A man, when he wishes, is the master of his fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferrer/a-man-when-he-wishes-is-the-master-of-his-fate/) [Jose Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferrer/) > [Death is a master from Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/death-is-a-master-from-germany/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) ## More by George Augustus Henry Sala > [Love in modern times has been the tailor's best friend. Every suitor of the nineteenth century spends more than his spare cash on personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/love-in-modern-times-has-been-the-tailor-s-best-friend-every-suitor/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [We acquire the love of people who, being in our proximity, are presumed to know us; and we receive reputation or celebrity, from such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/we-acquire-the-love-of-people-who-being-in-our-proximity-are-presumed/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [There is great truth in Alphonse Karr's remark that modern men are ugly because they do not wear their beards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/there-is-great-truth-in-alphonse-karr-s-remark-that-modern-men-are/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [Make Hamilton Bamilton, make Douglas Puglas, make Percy Bercy, and Stanley Tanley and where would be the long-resounding march and energy divine of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/make-hamilton-bamilton-make-douglas-puglas-make-percy-bercy-and/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [A woman's character is as delicate as her eye; it can bear no flaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/a-woman-s-character-is-as-delicate-as-her-eye-it-can-bear-no-flaw/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [Beauty is a fairy; sometimes she hides herself in a flower-cup, or under a leaf, or creeps into the old ivy, and plays hide-and-seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/beauty-is-a-fairy-sometimes-she-hides-herself-in-a-flower-cup-or/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [The future is always fairyland to the young. Life is like a beautiful and winding lane, on either side bright flowers, and beautiful butterflies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/the-future-is-always-fairyland-to-the-young-life-is-like-a-beautiful/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [Almost everything that I behold in this wonderful country bears traces of improvement and reform - everything except Pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/almost-everything-that-i-behold-in-this-wonderful-country-bears/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [Thought engenders thought. Place one idea on paper, another will follow it, and still another, until you have written a page; you cannot fathom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/thought-engenders-thought-place-one-idea-on-paper-another-will-follow/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [How beautifully is it ordered, that as many thousands work for one, so must every individual bring his labor to make the whole! The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/how-beautifully-is-it-ordered-that-as-many-thousands-work-for-one-so/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [The foaminess of the Falls, together with the tinge of tawny yellow in the troubled waters, only reminded me of so much unattainable soda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/the-foaminess-of-the-falls-together-with-the-tinge-of-tawny-yellow-in/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [Happily there exists more than one kind of beauty. There is the beauty of infancy, the beauty of youth, the beauty of maturity, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/happily-there-exists-more-than-one-kind-of-beauty-there-is-the-beauty/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [I will not go so far as to say, with a living poet, that the world knows nothing of its greatest men; but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/i-will-not-go-so-far-as-to-say-with-a-living-poet-that-the-world/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [An Italian proverb says, In men every mortal sin is venial; in woman every venial sin is mortal. And a German axiom, that There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/an-italian-proverb-says-in-men-every-mortal-sin-is-venial-in-woman/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [You cannot fathom your mind… The more you draw from it, the more clear and fruitful it will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/you-cannot-fathom-your-mind-the-more-you-draw-from-it-the-more-clear/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) [Explore all 23 George Augustus Henry Sala quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Society is the master, and man is the servant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Augustus Henry Sala" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-servant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Community" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-servant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/george-augustus-henry-sala-252_community_society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-ser_3213064.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Society is the master, and man is the servant.” — George Augustus Henry Sala", "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": "George Augustus Henry Sala", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Society is the master, and man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-servant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/society-is-the-master-and-man-is-the-servant/#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 } } ] } ```