--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a point, you know, where…" description: "\"There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship.\" — George MacDonald Fraser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg" --- # There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete… ![“There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship.” quote by George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg) > “There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship.” [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that extreme treachery can be disguised as political skill. **In simple terms:** Bad behavior can be seen as leadership. Key Takeaway Beware of charisma masking deceit. Themes politics ethics leadership Mood cynical critical Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - government - corporate strategy - public relations Key Concepts realpolitik moral ambiguity Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine leadership from manipulation? - When is ruthless pragmatism justified? A Different Perspective Not all cunning is immoral; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Know Treachery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-treachery-3823242/) [Statesmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmanship/) [Treachery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treachery/) [Treachery Complete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treachery-complete-3823241/) [Unashamed Statesmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unashamed-statesmanship-3823240/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that the public temper is such that the voters of the land are prepared to support the party which gives the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/i-believe-that-the-public-temper-is-such-that-the-voters-of-the-land/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [This surface good-nature which captivates a new acquaintance and is no bar to treachery, which knows no scruple and is never at fault for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/this-surface-good-nature-which-captivates-a-new-acquaintance-and-is/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You are wary of treachery?" "More wary of stupidity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/you-are-wary-of-treachery-more-wary-of-stupidity/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I am talking about ultimate deceit. I am talking about unparalleled treachery. Bottomless lies. Depths that are seen that are previously unimaginable. Darkness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-am-talking-about-ultimate-deceit-i-am-talking-about-unparalleled/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [When it comes to treachery, he is implacable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-it-comes-to-treachery-he-is-implacable/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/treachery-and-violence-are-spears-pointed-at-both-ends-they-wound/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [I would injure no man, and should provoke no resentment. I would relieve every distress, and should enjoy the benedictions of gratitude. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-would-injure-no-man-and-should-provoke-no-resentment-i-would/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Cunning and treachery are the offspring of incapacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/cunning-and-treachery-are-the-offspring-of-incapacity/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The treachery of a friend is worse than that of a foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-kent/the-treachery-of-a-friend-is-worse-than-that-of-a-foe/) [Hannah Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-kent/) > [You are the only woman who has a sense of gaiety, a wise tolerance - no more, you seem to urge me to betray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/you-are-the-only-woman-who-has-a-sense-of-gaiety-a-wise-tolerance-no/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [To recongnize that the treachery of one member of a house does not taint all born within it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/to-recongnize-that-the-treachery-of-one-member-of-a-house-does-not/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [The treachery of demons is nothing compared to the betrayal of an angel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/the-treachery-of-demons-is-nothing-compared-to-the-betrayal-of-an/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [“Your treachery is what I have come to expect. And my heart, you never deserved its affection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-t-mcgrath/your-treachery-is-what-i-have-come-to-expect-and-my-heart-you-never/) [Joel T. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-t-mcgrath/) > [If all we've got to look forward to is disloyalty and treachery, why do we even make friends?" "Again, human nature. Hoping for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/if-all-we-ve-got-to-look-forward-to-is-disloyalty-and-treachery-why/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/) [Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/) ## More by George MacDonald Fraser > [“In her, ignorance and stupidity formed a perfect shield against the world: this, I suppose, is innocence. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/in-her-ignorance-and-stupidity-formed-a-perfect-shield-against-the/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“You never know what to expect on encountering royalty. I've seen 'em stark naked except for wings of peacock feathers (Empress of China), giggling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/you-never-know-what-to-expect-on-encountering-royalty-i-ve-seen-em/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“I think little of people who will deny their history because it doesn't present the picture they would like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-think-little-of-people-who-will-deny-their-history-because-it-doesn/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“The advantage to being a wicked bastard is that everyone pesters the Lord on your behalf; if volume of prayers from my saintly enemies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/the-advantage-to-being-a-wicked-bastard-is-that-everyone-pesters-the/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“...and suddenly, without the slightest volition on my part, there was the most crashing discharge of wind, like the report of a mortar. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/and-suddenly-without-the-slightest-volition-on-my-part-there-was-the/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“Walking the plank is a Victorian fiction, and I will not have it on my ship!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/walking-the-plank-is-a-victorian-fiction-and-i-will-not-have-it-on-my/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“I was sufficiently recovered from my nervous condition – or else the booze was beginning to work – to be able to discuss with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-was-sufficiently-recovered-from-my-nervous-condition-or-else-the/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“We stood there for a full half hour, like so many scarecrows, while they jeered at us from a distance, and one or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/we-stood-there-for-a-full-half-hour-like-so-many-scarecrows-while/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [I'm as religious as the next man - which is to say I'll keep in with the local parson for form's sake and read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-m-as-religious-as-the-next-man-which-is-to-say-i-ll-keep-in-with/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [I've been a Danish prince, a Texas slave-dealer, an Arab sheik, a Cheyenne Dog Soldier, and a Yankee navy lieutenant in my time, among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-ve-been-a-danish-prince-a-texas-slave-dealer-an-arab-sheik-a/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“Thats what you young chaps have to remember. When u run, RUN! Full speed. Don't dither or dally even for an instant. let terror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/thats-what-you-young-chaps-have-to-remember-when-u-run-run-full-speed/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [Looking back over sixty-odd years, life is like a piece of string with knots in it, the knots being those moments that live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/looking-back-over-sixty-odd-years-life-is-like-a-piece-of-string-with/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“I recognized the handwriting, and my heart gave a skip; when I opened it I got a turn, for it began, 'To my beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-recognized-the-handwriting-and-my-heart-gave-a-skip-when-i-opened/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“Now, look you here, Sekundar," says I, but he came up straight like a little bantam and cut me off. "Sir Alexander. if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/now-look-you-here-sekundar-says-i-but-he-came-up-straight-like-a/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [If anything she was a shade too plump, but she knew the ninety-seven ways of making love that the Hindus are supposed to set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/if-anything-she-was-a-shade-too-plump-but-she-knew-the-ninety-seven/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) [Explore all 18 George MacDonald Fraser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) ## More Betrayal quotes > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [There is no deceit in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though ... betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/there-is-no-deceit-in-death-it-delivers-precisely-what-it-has/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As they say in New York, Get over it and, if you can't get over it, Get over talking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/as-they-say-in-new-york-get-over-it-and-if-you-can-t-get-over-it-get/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [“He returned her gaze, yearning for sentimental solace; love which emanated from a familiar source, mattered little how bedevilling. They shared an intimate moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/he-returned-her-gaze-yearning-for-sentimental-solace-love-which/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [I was always here for you,you knew you could count on me and trust me blindly, and you knew that I would never tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayssus/i-was-always-here-for-you-you-knew-you-could-count-on-me-and-trust-me/) [Michael Hayssus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayssus/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Betrayal and love are not mutually exclusive." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/betrayal-and-love-are-not-mutually-exclusive-mordred/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [Love comes exactly... To those who still hope, even though they've been disappointed. To those who still believe, even though they've been betrayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizhan/love-comes-exactly-to-those-who-still-hope-even-though-they-ve-been/) [Mizhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mizhan/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Betrayal is a serious thing in this world,you know what else is serious? Being lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina/betrayal-is-a-serious-thing-in-this-world-you-know-what-else-is/) [Sabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina/) > [The greatest temptation for the like of us is: to renounce violence, to repent, to make peace with oneself. Most revolutionaries fell before this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-greatest-temptation-for-the-like-of-us-is-to-renounce-violence-to/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) [Browse all 2,050 Betrayal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald Fraser" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery-is-so-complete-and-unashamed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betrayal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery-is-so-complete-and-unashamed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/george-macdonald-fraser-29418_betrayal_there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery_1233360.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship.” — George MacDonald Fraser", "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 MacDonald Fraser", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's a point, you know, where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery-is-so-complete-and-unashamed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/there-s-a-point-you-know-where-treachery-is-so-complete-and-unashamed/#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 } } ] } ```