--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of…" description: "\"Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.\" — Henri Frederic Amiel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png" --- # Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most… ![“Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.” quote by Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png) > “Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.” [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral justification of violent actions is granted when the goal is deemed righteous, overlooking ethical costs. **In simple terms:** Violent means are excused if the end is righteous. Key Takeaway Question ends, not means. Themes ethics politics violence Mood conflicted critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political campaigns - military interventions - activist protests - legal judgments Key Concepts consequentialism moral relativism Questions to Reflect On - Is the goal truly noble? - Can violence ever be morally clean? A Different Perspective Ends may not truly justify harmful means. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolve Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolve-guilt-3590145/) [Approved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilt Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt-violent-2520253/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous/) [Righteous Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous-ends-3590144/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-means-1197957/) ## Related quotes > [There is an illusion of central position, justifying one's own purposes as right and everybody else¹s as wrong, and providing a proper degree of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/there-is-an-illusion-of-central-position-justifying-one-s-own/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Intent is guilt. Failure to successfully carry out the intent does not absolve the guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/intent-is-guilt-failure-to-successfully-carry-out-the-intent-does-not/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Means are not to be distinguished from ends. If violent means are used, there will be bad results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/means-are-not-to-be-distinguished-from-ends-if-violent-means-are-used/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Violent means will give violent freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violent-means-will-give-violent-freedom/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Violent means will give violent swaraj. That would be a menace to the world and to India herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violent-means-will-give-violent-swaraj-that-would-be-a-menace-to-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Violent means will give violent freedom. That would be a menace to the world and to India herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violent-means-will-give-violent-freedom-that-would-be-a-menace-to-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When I first began examining the global-warming scare, I found nothing more puzzling than the way officially approved scientists kept on being shown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-booker/when-i-first-began-examining-the-global-warming-scare-i-found-nothing/) [Christopher Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-booker/) > [In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware there was anything wrong about it. No-one arraigned it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-my-schoolboy-days-i-had-no-aversion-to-slavery-i-was-not-aware/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/as-much-as-the-next-person-i-want-to-be-approved-of-but-i-m-not/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson Touch', it was like an electric shock. Some shed tears, all approved - 'It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-came-to-explain-to-them-the-nelson-touch-it-was-like-an/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) ## More by Henri Frederic Amiel > [There is only one way of not hating those who do us wrong, and that is by doing them good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/there-is-only-one-way-of-not-hating-those-who-do-us-wrong-and-that-is/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Latent genius is but a presumption. Everything that can be, is bound to come into being, and what never comes into being is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/latent-genius-is-but-a-presumption-everything-that-can-be-is-bound-to/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Order is power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/order-is-power/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Knowledge, love, power-there is the complete life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/knowledge-love-power-there-is-the-complete-life/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/life-is-short-and-we-have-never-too-much-time-for-gladdening-the/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul each feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/each-bud-flowers-but-once-and-each-flower-has-but-its-minute-of/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/we-are-never-more-discontented-with-others-than-when-we-are/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Only evil grows of itself, while for goodness we want effort and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/only-evil-grows-of-itself-while-for-goodness-we-want-effort-and/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/a-man-must-be-able-to-cut-a-knot-for-everything-cannot-be-untied-he/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Our greatest illusion is to believe that we are what we think ourselves to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/our-greatest-illusion-is-to-believe-that-we-are-what-we-think/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/charm-is-the-quality-in-others-that-makes-us-more-satisfied-with/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The philosopher aspires to explain away all mysteries, to dissolve them into light. Mystery on the other hand is demanded and pursued by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-philosopher-aspires-to-explain-away-all-mysteries-to-dissolve/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The growth and development of the soul is more important than power and glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-growth-and-development-of-the-soul-is-more-important-than-power/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [He who asks of life nothing but the improvement of his own nature... is less liable than anyone else to miss and waste life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/he-who-asks-of-life-nothing-but-the-improvement-of-his-own-nature-is/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Christianity, if it is to triumph over pantheism, must absorb it. To our pusillanimous eyes Jesus would have borne the marks of a hateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/christianity-if-it-is-to-triumph-over-pantheism-must-absorb-it-to-our/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) [Explore all 262 Henri Frederic Amiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) ## More Approved quotes > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson Touch', it was like an electric shock. Some shed tears, all approved - 'It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-came-to-explain-to-them-the-nelson-touch-it-was-like-an/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/as-much-as-the-next-person-i-want-to-be-approved-of-but-i-m-not/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware there was anything wrong about it. No-one arraigned it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-my-schoolboy-days-i-had-no-aversion-to-slavery-i-was-not-aware/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When I first began examining the global-warming scare, I found nothing more puzzling than the way officially approved scientists kept on being shown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-booker/when-i-first-began-examining-the-global-warming-scare-i-found-nothing/) [Christopher Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-booker/) > [There is nothing that can bring you closer to fearlessness about everything else in the world than being a parent - because everyday fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/there-is-nothing-that-can-bring-you-closer-to-fearlessness-about/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [I should have known something was wrong with my first wife. When I brought her home to meet my parents, they approved of her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-should-have-known-something-was-wrong-with-my-first-wife-when-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [You wouldn't want to live a life in which you are loved or approved by all people on Earth or even within your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-wouldn-t-want-to-live-a-life-in-which-you-are-loved-or-approved/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [That which concerns everyone must also be discussed and approved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-verhofstadt/that-which-concerns-everyone-must-also-be-discussed-and-approved-by/) [Guy Verhofstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-verhofstadt/) > [ You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. 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He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) [Browse all 251 Approved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Frederic Amiel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of-guilt-the-most-violent-means/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approved" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of-guilt-the-most-violent-means/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_approved_righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of_2010704.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.” — Henri Frederic Amiel", "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": "Henri Frederic Amiel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of-guilt-the-most-violent-means/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/righteous-ends-thus-approved-absolve-of-guilt-the-most-violent-means/#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 } } ] } ```