--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And government (to define it de facto, or…" description: "\"And government (to define it de facto, or according to modern prudence) is an art whereby some man, or some few men, subject a city or a nation, and ru..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25f/james-harrington-47852_art_and-government-to-define-it-de-facto-or_448042.jpg" --- # And government (to define it de facto, or according to… ![“And government (to define it de facto, or according to modern prudence) is an art whereby some man, or some few men, subject a city or a nation, and rule it according to his or their private interest; which, because the laws in such cases are made according to the interest of a man, or of some few…” quote by James Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25f/james-harrington-47852_art_and-government-to-define-it-de-facto-or_448042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25f/james-harrington-47852_art_and-government-to-define-it-de-facto-or_448042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25f/james-harrington-47852_art_and-government-to-define-it-de-facto-or_448042.jpg) > “And government (to define it de facto, or according to modern prudence) is an art whereby some man, or some few men, subject a city or a nation, and rule it according to his or their private interest; which, because the laws in such cases are made according to the interest of a man, or of some few families, may be said to be the empire of men, and not of laws.” [James Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harrington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Governance driven by private interests becomes rule by men, not by law, turning the state into a personal empire. **In simple terms:** When leaders serve themselves, law loses power. Key Takeaway Demand accountability in leadership. Themes power corruption law governance elitism Mood cautious critical serious Type political analytical reflective When to use this quote - voting - policy advocacy - public oversight - civic education Key Concepts political theory rule of law elite dominance Questions to Reflect On - Who holds power in your community? - What mechanisms can ensure laws dominate personal interests? A Different Perspective Reforming entrenched interests can be extremely difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Define Facto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-facto-3916955/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Facto According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facto-according-3916954/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-define-3916953/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Nation Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-rule-929597/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Prudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prudence/) [Rule According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-according-3916956/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) ## Related quotes > [If we would leave parties to the politicians, and would vote not for the party, not even for men, but for the city, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/if-we-would-leave-parties-to-the-politicians-and-would-vote-not-for/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [We ought at least, from prudence, never to speak of ourselves, because that is a subject on which we may be sure that other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/we-ought-at-least-from-prudence-never-to-speak-of-ourselves-because/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [No worse fate can befall a young man or woman than becoming prematurely entrenched in prudence and negation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knut-hamsun/no-worse-fate-can-befall-a-young-man-or-woman-than-becoming/) [Knut Hamsun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knut-hamsun/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ “\[Fiscal prudence\] means spending wisely, reducing waste, collecting sufficient taxes to pay for the public goods and services we want, keeping budgets in relative… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-himelfarb/fiscal-prudence-means-spending-wisely-reducing-waste-collecting/) [Alex Himelfarb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-himelfarb/) > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Old age likes to dwell in the recollections of the past, and, mistaking, the speedy march of years, often is inclined to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/old-age-likes-to-dwell-in-the-recollections-of-the-past-and-mistaking/) [Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/) > [The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of thegreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-must-submit-to-the-dominion-of-prudence-and-of-virtue-or/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 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