--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is always good men who do the most…" description: "\"It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.\" — Henry Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png" --- # It is always good men who do the most harm in the world. ![“It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.” quote by Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png) > “It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.” [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good people can cause great harm when their actions are misguided. **In simple terms:** Good intentions can lead to harm. Key Takeaway Align actions with ethical outcomes. Themes ethics power responsibility Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - leadership - activism Key Concepts political theory human nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate the impact of your actions? - What safeguards prevent well‑meaning harm? A Different Perspective Good intentions don’t guarantee good results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-men/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Good men do the most harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/good-men-do-the-most-harm/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [I think that Lee should have been hanged. It was all the worse that he was a good man and a fine character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-think-that-lee-should-have-been-hanged-it-was-all-the-worse-that-he/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [If it is necessary to die in order to live like men, what harm in dying?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/if-it-is-necessary-to-die-in-order-to-live-like-men-what-harm-in-dying/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The Internet, one of the great inventions of the modern Western world, has shown itself to be a weapon that can be used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/the-internet-one-of-the-great-inventions-of-the-modern-western-world/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [Most of the harm in the world is done by good people, and not by accident, lapse or omission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-paterson/most-of-the-harm-in-the-world-is-done-by-good-people-and-not-by-3/) [Isabel Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-paterson/) > [The workaholics have done immense harm to the world. And the greatest harm they have done is that they have deprived life of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-workaholics-have-done-immense-harm-to-the-world-and-the-greatest/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I believe that the harm which Mill has done to the world by the passage in his book on Political Economy in which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cobden/i-believe-that-the-harm-which-mill-has-done-to-the-world-by-the/) [Richard Cobden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cobden/) > [“She was right about one thing: the harm in the world is done by those who feel disenfranchised and abused. Contented people (as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/she-was-right-about-one-thing-the-harm-in-the-world-is-done-by-those/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“It's people with obsessions who do the real harm in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-francis/it-s-people-with-obsessions-who-do-the-real-harm-in-the-world/) [Dick Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-francis/) > [Violence harms the one who does it as much as the one who receives it. You could cut down a tree with an axe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/violence-harms-the-one-who-does-it-as-much-as-the-one-who-receives-it/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [Evil, which is our companion all our days, is not to be treated as a foe. It is wrong to cocker vice, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/evil-which-is-our-companion-all-our-days-is-not-to-be-treated-as-a/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) > [“For men do harm either out of fear or out of hatred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-men-do-harm-either-out-of-fear-or-out-of-hatred/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to-do-them-too-much-good/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“..the world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-world-seems-full-of-good-men-even-if-there-are-monsters-in-it/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [When you think you're a really good person, you're actually capable of doing some real harm to people, either knowingly or unknowingly. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tupper/when-you-think-you-re-a-really-good-person-you-re-actually-capable-of/) [James Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tupper/) ## More by Henry Adams > [I am fairly tired--bored beyond endurance--by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-am-fairly-tired-bored-beyond-endurance-by-the-world-we-live-in-and/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“One had heard and read a great deal about death, and even seen a little of it, and knew by heart the thousand commonplaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/one-had-heard-and-read-a-great-deal-about-death-and-even-seen-a/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The chief wonder of education is that it does not ruin everybody concerned in it, teachers and taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-chief-wonder-of-education-is-that-it-does-not-ruin-everybody/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The American President resembles the commander of a ship at sea. He must have a helm to grasp, a course to steer, a port…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-american-president-resembles-the-commander-of-a-ship-at-sea-he/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The proof that a philosopher does not know what he is talking about is apt to sadden his followers before it reacts on himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-proof-that-a-philosopher-does-not-know-what-he-is-talking-about/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [No man should be in politics unless he would honestly rather not be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/no-man-should-be-in-politics-unless-he-would-honestly-rather-not-be/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [In the history of the United States, there is no continuity at all. You can cut through it anywhere and nothing on this side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/in-the-history-of-the-united-states-there-is-no-continuity-at-all-you/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Washington was no politician as we understand the word," replied Ratcliffe abruptly. "He stood outside of politics. The thing couldn't be done today. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/washington-was-no-politician-as-we-understand-the-word-replied/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Power when wielded by abnormal energy is the most serious of facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/power-when-wielded-by-abnormal-energy-is-the-most-serious-of-facts/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [If I grapple with sin in my own strength, the devil knows he may go to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/if-i-grapple-with-sin-in-my-own-strength-the-devil-knows-he-may-go-to/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [All State education is a sort of dynamo machine for polarizing the popular mind; for turning and holding its lines of force in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/all-state-education-is-a-sort-of-dynamo-machine-for-polarizing-the/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [You may cut off the heads of every rich man now living--of every statesman--every literary, and every scientific authority, without in the least changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/you-may-cut-off-the-heads-of-every-rich-man-now-living-of-every/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [History is the most aristocratic of all literary pursuits, because it obliges the historian to be rich as well as educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/history-is-the-most-aristocratic-of-all-literary-pursuits-because-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [The philosopher says--I am, and the church scouts his philosophy. She answers:--No! you are NOT, you have no existence of your own. You were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-philosopher-says-i-am-and-the-church-scouts-his-philosophy-she/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) [Explore all 230 Henry Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [Today I didn't even have to even use my A.K ! I got to say it was a good day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/today-i-didn-t-even-have-to-even-use-my-a-k-i-got-to-say-it-was-a/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [If you want to edit your photos and make yourself look different, go for it. That is up to you, but in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-list/if-you-want-to-edit-your-photos-and-make-yourself-look-different-go/) [Peyton List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-list/) > [I met Rajini sir after 'Jigarthanda,' and he said he liked my film. He told me I could approach him whenever I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-met-rajini-sir-after-jigarthanda-and-he-said-he-liked-my-film-he/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) Browse all 40,882 Good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-harm-in-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-harm-in-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c2/henry-adams-1542_good_it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-ha_1618291.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.” — Henry Adams", "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": "Henry Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is always good men who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-harm-in-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-harm-in-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```