--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A particular rule that seems to make…" description: "\"A particular rule that seems to make sense in the individual case makes no sense when it is made a universal rule and applied to all cases. It makes no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/james-q-wilson-16701_accounts_a-particular-rule-that-seems-to-make-sen_2610878.jpg" --- # A particular rule that seems to make sense in the… ![“A particular rule that seems to make sense in the individual case makes no sense when it is made a universal rule and applied to all cases. It makes no sense because it fails to take into account the connection between one broken window left untended and a thousand broken windows.” quote by James Q. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/james-q-wilson-16701_accounts_a-particular-rule-that-seems-to-make-sen_2610878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/james-q-wilson-16701_accounts_a-particular-rule-that-seems-to-make-sen_2610878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/james-q-wilson-16701_accounts_a-particular-rule-that-seems-to-make-sen_2610878.jpg) > “A particular rule that seems to make sense in the individual case makes no sense when it is made a universal rule and applied to all cases. It makes no sense because it fails to take into account the connection between one broken window left untended and a thousand broken windows.” [James Q. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-q-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rules that work individually may fail universally due to cumulative effects. **In simple terms:** Individual rules may break when applied everywhere. Key Takeaway Consider systemic impact before universalizing rules. Themes law ethics systems policy Mood analytical critical Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - legislation - organizational policy - urban planning - environmental regulation Key Concepts social theory systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What examples show rule failure at scale? - How can we test rules before broad application? A Different Perspective Universal rules can ignore context and cause unintended harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Broken windows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-windows/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Make sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sense/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Particular Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular-rule-2027699/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Rule Applied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-applied-2027700/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-rule-994084/) [Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window/) ## Related quotes > [Wow your datin some one else already I thought the 5 second rule only applied to food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-blankenship/wow-your-datin-some-one-else-already-i-thought-the-5-second-rule-only/) [Aaron Blankenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-blankenship/) > [It may be laid as an universal rule that a government which attempts more than it ought will perform less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/it-may-be-laid-as-an-universal-rule-that-a-government-which-attempts/) [Thomas B. 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