--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if the laws are to be so trampled…" description: "\"But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg" --- # But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity… ![“But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter...” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg) > “But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter...” [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When laws are ignored and a minority dominates, the republic collapses into chaos and anarchy. **In simple terms:** Ignore laws, lose republic. Key Takeaway Uphold rule of law. Themes law government minority power anarchy Mood cautious serious Type political historical When to use this quote - policy making - civic education - activism - media analysis Key Concepts political theory republicanism Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens prevent lawlessness? - What safeguards protect democracy? A Different Perspective Minorities may claim majority support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Expected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-anarchy-2594219/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Impunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impunity/) [Impunity Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impunity-minority-6078715/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws Trampled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-trampled-6078714/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republican government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican-government/) [Strokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strokes/) [Trampled Impunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trampled-impunity-6078716/) ## Related quotes > [Certainly the worker has nothing to lose by a change from government and capitalism to a condition of no government, of anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-berkman/certainly-the-worker-has-nothing-to-lose-by-a-change-from-government/) [Alexander Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-berkman/) > [“in all cities, these two distinct parties are found, and from this it arises that the people do not wish to be ruled nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/in-all-cities-these-two-distinct-parties-are-found-and-from-this-it/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, (I conjure you to believe me fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/against-the-insidious-wiles-of-foreign-influence-i-conjure-you-to/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [History and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/history-and-experience-prove-that-foreign-influence-is-one-of-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. 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Every man will speak as he thinks, or, more properly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/in-a-free-and-republican-government-you-cannot-restrain-the-voice-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The executive branch of this government never has, nor will suffer, while I preside, any improper conduct of its officers to escape with impunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-executive-branch-of-this-government-never-has-nor-will-suffer/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Our politicians are stupid.And the Mexican government is much smarter, much sharper, much more cunning. 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Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Explore all 801 George Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More Anarchy quotes > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) [Mitch Pileggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-pileggi/) > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Perhaps it is this theory of all work and no play that has made the Marxist such a very dull boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/perhaps-it-is-this-theory-of-all-work-and-no-play-that-has-made-the/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. 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Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 795 Anarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Washington" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-upon-with-impunity-and-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-upon-with-impunity-and-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/george-washington-257_anarchy_but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-up_791680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority…” — George Washington", "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 Washington", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But if the laws are to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-upon-with-impunity-and-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/but-if-the-laws-are-to-be-so-trampled-upon-with-impunity-and-a/#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 } } ] } ```