--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Civilization rests on a set of promises…" description: "\"Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no matter how rich it may be, or how mechanically..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png" --- # Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises… ![“Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no matter how rich it may be, or how mechanically clever. Hope and faith depend on the promises; if hope and faith go, everything goes.” quote by Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png) > “Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no matter how rich it may be, or how mechanically clever. Hope and faith depend on the promises; if hope and faith go, everything goes.” [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The health of a society depends on keeping its core promises; when broken, trust collapses regardless of wealth or technology. **In simple terms:** Broken promises ruin societies. Key Takeaway Uphold commitments. Themes trust social contract civilization hope faith Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - government policy - corporate governance - community building - personal integrity Key Concepts political philosophy ethics sociology Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can enforce societal promises? - How does technology affect trust? A Different Perspective Complex to enforce promises in diverse, modern societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Hope and faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-and-faith/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises/) [Promises Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises-broken/) [Promises that are broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises-that-are-broken/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [People change and promises are broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/people-change-and-promises-are-broken/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Hand holding doesn't mean you're in love, kisses don't always mean something real, promises are broken as fast as they're made and sometimes...goodbyes really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/hand-holding-doesn-t-mean-you-re-in-love-kisses-don-t-always-mean/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [People change and promises are broken. Clouds can move and skies will be wide open. Don't forget to take a breath!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-change-and-promises-are-broken-clouds-can-move-and-skies-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me your promise was my life, and in thy point of view it was just a promise; and promises are broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/for-me-your-promise-was-my-life-and-in-thy-point-of-view-it-was-just/) Mak\_786 > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [If education is beaten by training, civilization dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-education-is-beaten-by-training-civilization-dies/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If one generation is expected to carry an excessive burden on behalf of another, it will seek by every means to avoid it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/if-one-generation-is-expected-to-carry-an-excessive-burden-on-behalf/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Practical application is found by not looking for it, and one can say that the whole progress of civilization rests on that principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-hadamard/practical-application-is-found-by-not-looking-for-it-and-one-can-say/) [Jacques Hadamard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-hadamard/) > [“Our civilization rests on a faulty premise, that the world is physical and mechanical, energy and matter only. We do not pay for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grossinger/our-civilization-rests-on-a-faulty-premise-that-the-world-is-physical/) Richard Grossinger > [Civilization rests on the fact that most people do the right thing most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/civilization-rests-on-the-fact-that-most-people-do-the-right-thing/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [If politics were a musical, it would be "Promises, Promises".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-politics-were-a-musical-it-would-be-promises-promises/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Civilization rests on two things: the discovery that fermentation produces alcohol, and the voluntary ability to inhibit defecation. And I put it to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/civilization-rests-on-two-things-the-discovery-that-fermentation/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Our whole civilization rests on the fact that men have always succeeded in beating off the attack of the re-distributors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/our-whole-civilization-rests-on-the-fact-that-men-have-always/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Technological civilization... rests fundamentally on power-driven machinery which transcends the physical limits of its human directors, multiplying indefinitely the capacity for the production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/technological-civilization-rests-fundamentally-on-power-driven/) [Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/) > [Civilization rests on two things," said Hitzig; "the discovery that fermentation produces alcohol, and voluntary ability to inhibit defecation. And I put it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/civilization-rests-on-two-things-said-hitzig-the-discovery-that/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## More by Herbert > [I try to be original in every piece of music I do, and of course I probably fail every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/i-try-to-be-original-in-every-piece-of-music-i-do-and-of-course-i/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Ours is a land rich in resources; stimulating in its glorious beauty; filled with millions of happy homes; blessed with comfort and opportunity. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/ours-is-a-land-rich-in-resources-stimulating-in-its-glorious-beauty/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [As never before does the keeping of our economic machine in tune depend upon wise policies in the administrative side of the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/as-never-before-does-the-keeping-of-our-economic-machine-in-tune/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Chaos is hateful. That indeterminate nature of war brings a really unsettling atmosphere to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/chaos-is-hateful-that-indeterminate-nature-of-war-brings-a-really/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Pigs are very intelligent. They're very misunderstood. Yet they're sort of man's unofficial best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/pigs-are-very-intelligent-they-re-very-misunderstood-yet-they-re-sort/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Actually, time and time again people always come back to my early, more innocent stuff, and say, "I kind of prefer that." I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/actually-time-and-time-again-people-always-come-back-to-my-early-more/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [The more you look into pigs the more you realize quite how everywhere they are. People come in contact with parts of pigs probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/the-more-you-look-into-pigs-the-more-you-realize-quite-how-everywhere/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [As I get older, everything feels like it's fundamentally connected, and once you've accepted the idea that business is right, and the free market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/as-i-get-older-everything-feels-like-it-s-fundamentally-connected-and/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Other than rhythm, the only thing I could say is that I take a great deal of pride in every single sound I use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/other-than-rhythm-the-only-thing-i-could-say-is-that-i-take-a-great/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [I read somewhere that if you translated all the gadgets and technology in our houses to make our lives easier and save time, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/i-read-somewhere-that-if-you-translated-all-the-gadgets-and/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [I always talk about my ambition with music, and it's to sort of seduce people into listening to sounds they wouldn't normally listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/i-always-talk-about-my-ambition-with-music-and-it-s-to-sort-of-seduce/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [I think people are complacent about sound, because we're so limited by the textures and timbres we hear in music, but in our everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/i-think-people-are-complacent-about-sound-because-we-re-so-limited-by/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [I came out of an electronic music scene that based all its music on software. It was a real boys thing, a real testosterone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/i-came-out-of-an-electronic-music-scene-that-based-all-its-music-on/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [People do things for love and belief and passion, not just because they're paid to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/people-do-things-for-love-and-belief-and-passion-not-just-because/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) > [Often people try and just consider music as music, in a musical context. People seem to forget that music is not just audio material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/often-people-try-and-just-consider-music-as-music-in-a-musical/) [Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) [Explore all 25 Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no matter how rich it may be, or how mechanically clever. Hope and faith depend on the promises; if hope and faith go, everything goes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises-if-the-promises-are-broken/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises-if-the-promises-are-broken/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/herbert-23695_broken_civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises_1649580.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no…” — Herbert", "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": "Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Civilization rests on a set of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises-if-the-promises-are-broken/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert/civilization-rests-on-a-set-of-promises-if-the-promises-are-broken/#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 } } ] } ```