--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Despotism accomplishes great things…" description: "\"Despotism accomplishes great things illegally; liberty doesn't even go to the trouble of accomplishing small things legally.\" — Honore de Balzac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/160/honor-de-balzac-197_accomplish_despotism-accomplishes-great-things-ille_1280123.png" --- # Despotism accomplishes great things illegally; liberty… ![“Despotism accomplishes great things illegally; liberty doesn't even go to the trouble of accomplishing small things legally.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/160/honor-de-balzac-197_accomplish_despotism-accomplishes-great-things-ille_1280123.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/160/honor-de-balzac-197_accomplish_despotism-accomplishes-great-things-ille_1280123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/160/honor-de-balzac-197_accomplish_despotism-accomplishes-great-things-ille_1280123.png) > “Despotism accomplishes great things illegally; liberty doesn't even go to the trouble of accomplishing small things legally.” [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despotism achieves grand illegal feats, while liberty struggles to accomplish modest legal acts. **In simple terms:** Freedom often works slowly and modestly. Key Takeaway Value patient, lawful progress. Themes politics freedom law Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - reform - activism - policy making Key Concepts authoritarianism civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - Can small legal victories build larger freedom? - What risks do despotisms pose? A Different Perspective Legal change can be frustratingly slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despotism/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) ## Related quotes > [Shareholder value gets lost when things are done illegally, when corporate governance is not adhered to, when cohesive action is not taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-pallonji-mistry/shareholder-value-gets-lost-when-things-are-done-illegally-when/) [Cyrus Pallonji Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-pallonji-mistry/) > [You have to recognise your responsibility to your community for your actions. Liberty doesn't mean that you are not held accountable. Without accountability, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/you-have-to-recognise-your-responsibility-to-your-community-for-your/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Liberty? Why it doesn't exist. There is no liberty in this world, just gilded cages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/liberty-why-it-doesn-t-exist-there-is-no-liberty-in-this-world-just/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Liberty doesn't work as well in practice as it does in speeches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/liberty-doesn-t-work-as-well-in-practice-as-it-does-in-speeches/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Small natures require despotism to exercise their sinews, as great souls thirst for equality to give play to their heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/small-natures-require-despotism-to-exercise-their-sinews-as-great/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Liberty begets anarchy, anarchy leads to despotism, and despotism brings about liberty once again. Millions of human beings have perished without being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/liberty-begets-anarchy-anarchy-leads-to-despotism-and-despotism/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Beauty is the greatest of human powers. Any power without counterbalance or control becomes autocratic and leads to abuse and to folly. Despotism in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/beauty-is-the-greatest-of-human-powers-any-power-without/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [If Despotism failed only for want of a capable benevolent despot, what chance has Democracy, which requires a whole population of capable voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-despotism-failed-only-for-want-of-a-capable-benevolent-despot-what/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Neither should men study war with a view to the enslavement of those who do not deserve to be enslaved; but first of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-should-men-study-war-with-a-view-to-the-enslavement-of-those/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When the savages of Louisiana wish to have fruit, they cut the tree at the bottom and gather the fruit. That is exactly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-the-savages-of-louisiana-wish-to-have-fruit-they-cut-the-tree-at/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Honore de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. 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