--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every great nation, they said, was…" description: "\"“Every great nation, they said, was founded on a knife and a lie.”\" — James S.A. Corey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/james-s-a-corey-861_great-nation_every-great-nation-they-said-was-founded_397924.jpg" --- # Every great nation, they said, was founded on a knife and… ![“Every great nation, they said, was founded on a knife and a lie.” quote by James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/james-s-a-corey-861_great-nation_every-great-nation-they-said-was-founded_397924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/james-s-a-corey-861_great-nation_every-great-nation-they-said-was-founded_397924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/james-s-a-corey-861_great-nation_every-great-nation-they-said-was-founded_397924.jpg) > ““Every great nation, they said, was founded on a knife and a lie.”” [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation's power often rests on violence and deception. **In simple terms:** Nations built on force and lies. Key Takeaway Question authority, seek truth. Themes politics power deception Mood cynical reflective Type historical political When to use this quote - government formation - colonialism - revolution - media narratives Key Concepts realpolitik historical cycles Questions to Reflect On - What lies under the surface of national myths? - How do we confront hidden histories? A Different Perspective Violence alone cannot sustain a nation long term. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Founded Knife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founded-knife-3575413/) [Great nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-nation/) [Knife Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knife-lie-3575412/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Nation Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-said-986821/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [A good nation I will make live.This the nation above has said.They have given me the power to make over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/a-good-nation-i-will-make-live-this-the-nation-above-has-said-they/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Once again, this nation has said there are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable and no frontiers beyond our reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-again-this-nation-has-said-there-are-no-dreams-too-large-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I knew that it would be called the United States. But I refused to speak that name. there was nothing united about a nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-hill/i-knew-that-it-would-be-called-the-united-states-but-i-refused-to/) [Lawrence Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-hill/) > [It seems to me the Washington Monument is a symbol of America's power. It has been the symbol of our great nation. We look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/it-seems-to-me-the-washington-monument-is-a-symbol-of-america-s-power/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The Chinese nation is a great nation; it has been through hardships and adversity but remains indomitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/the-chinese-nation-is-a-great-nation-it-has-been-through-hardships/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [America is a great nation, but it cannot spend blood and treasure endlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/america-is-a-great-nation-but-it-cannot-spend-blood-and-treasure/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [I part of this great nation because my grandfather was born here, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He took a horse, back in 1895, and ride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-fox/i-part-of-this-great-nation-because-my-grandfather-was-born-here-in/) [Vicente Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-fox/) > [I had great admiration for the election of President Obama. I believe that the U.S. at that moment showed tremendous capacity to show that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dilma-rousseff/i-had-great-admiration-for-the-election-of-president-obama-i-believe/) [Dilma Rousseff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dilma-rousseff/) > [It is fitting for a great nation to yield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/it-is-fitting-for-a-great-nation-to-yield/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-not-what-we-have-that-will-make-us-a-great-nation-it-is-the-way/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The Australian people want to help build this country into a great nation. This budget... has not realized the capacity of the Australian people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-australian-people-want-to-help-build-this-country-into-a-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Entrepreneurship is the very back bone of our country and what makes us great - we are a nation of founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/entrepreneurship-is-the-very-back-bone-of-our-country-and-what-makes/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [“A great nation is like a great man...He thinks of his enemy as the shadow that he himself casts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/a-great-nation-is-like-a-great-man-he-thinks-of-his-enemy-as-the/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [Tell me, why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-me-why-is-the-media-here-so-negative-why-are-we-in-india-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And I think that, at some point, I am, as John Lewis and many others, are a bridge-builder. The goal is to bring America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/and-i-think-that-at-some-point-i-am-as-john-lewis-and-many-others-are/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) ## More by James S.A. Corey > [“If life transcends death, then I will seek for you there. If not, then there too.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/if-life-transcends-death-then-i-will-seek-for-you-there-if-not-then/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This was the difference, she thought, between solitude and isolation. And now she knew something about herself she hadn’t known before. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-was-the-difference-she-thought-between-solitude-and-isolation/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“My love is a pure love,” Alex said with a grin. “I wouldn’t sully it by actually, you know, doin’ anything about it.” “The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/my-love-is-a-pure-love-alex-said-with-a-grin-i-wouldn-t-sully-it-by/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The mech hadn’t been designed for violence, but it was suited for it. That made her and it the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-mech-hadn-t-been-designed-for-violence-but-it-was-suited-for-it/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“For another thing, we’re under martial law, so I can do very nearly whatever the fuck I want. Including march through your precious little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/for-another-thing-we-re-under-martial-law-so-i-can-do-very-nearly/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This attack is the greatest tragedy in human history,” Avasarala said. “They want the belt to rise up so they can hide behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-attack-is-the-greatest-tragedy-in-human-history-avasarala-said/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Church of Humanity Ascendant, a religion that eschewed supernaturalism in all forms, and whose theology boiled down to Humans can be better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/church-of-humanity-ascendant-a-religion-that-eschewed-supernaturalism/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh good,” Amos replied. “Somebody got killed there. That’s how we claim stuff, you know. This planet is officially ours now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-good-amos-replied-somebody-got-killed-there-that-s-how-we-claim/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Alamogordo and worked his two-year service stripping down ancient solar electricity stations from the bad old days before fusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/alamogordo-and-worked-his-two-year-service-stripping-down-ancient/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“But humans hadn’t been living and working in space nearly long enough for the primitive part of the brain not to say, I’ll fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/but-humans-hadn-t-been-living-and-working-in-space-nearly-long-enough/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I like the backup plan better,” Amos said. “Backup plan?” Prax asked. “The backup plan is I grab the first guy we see, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-like-the-backup-plan-better-amos-said-backup-plan-prax-asked-the/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“She had seen Holden on the newsfeeds and reports. At the beginning of the war between Mars and the Belt, he had been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/she-had-seen-holden-on-the-newsfeeds-and-reports-at-the-beginning-of/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“the lizard living at the base of her spine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-lizard-living-at-the-base-of-her-spine/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) [Explore all 341 James S.A. Corey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## More Great nation quotes > [Entrepreneurship is the very back bone of our country and what makes us great - we are a nation of founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/entrepreneurship-is-the-very-back-bone-of-our-country-and-what-makes/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [And I think that, at some point, I am, as John Lewis and many others, are a bridge-builder. The goal is to bring America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/and-i-think-that-at-some-point-i-am-as-john-lewis-and-many-others-are/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Tell me, why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-me-why-is-the-media-here-so-negative-why-are-we-in-india-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A great nation is like a great man...He thinks of his enemy as the shadow that he himself casts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/a-great-nation-is-like-a-great-man-he-thinks-of-his-enemy-as-the/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [The Australian people want to help build this country into a great nation. This budget... has not realized the capacity of the Australian people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-australian-people-want-to-help-build-this-country-into-a-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are a great nation, which has lot to offer to the world, but to offer something to the world France has to remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/we-are-a-great-nation-which-has-lot-to-offer-to-the-world-but-to/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Religious liberty is the salt and light that has made us the great nation we are in a whole number of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/religious-liberty-is-the-salt-and-light-that-has-made-us-the-great/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-not-what-we-have-that-will-make-us-a-great-nation-it-is-the-way/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Our country is only as strong as the men and women who serve our great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-donalds/our-country-is-only-as-strong-as-the-men-and-women-who-serve-our/) [Byron Donalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-donalds/) > [It is fitting for a great nation to yield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/it-is-fitting-for-a-great-nation-to-yield/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“However enlightened and however skilful a central power may be, it cannot of itself embrace all the details of the existence of a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/however-enlightened-and-however-skilful-a-central-power-may-be-it/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I had great admiration for the election of President Obama. I believe that the U.S. at that moment showed tremendous capacity to show that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dilma-rousseff/i-had-great-admiration-for-the-election-of-president-obama-i-believe/) [Dilma Rousseff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dilma-rousseff/) > [The Founding Fathers believed that faith in God was the key to our being a good people and America's becoming a great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-founding-fathers-believed-that-faith-in-god-was-the-key-to-our/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I part of this great nation because my grandfather was born here, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He took a horse, back in 1895, and ride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-fox/i-part-of-this-great-nation-because-my-grandfather-was-born-here-in/) [Vicente Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-fox/) > [America is a great nation, but it cannot spend blood and treasure endlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/america-is-a-great-nation-but-it-cannot-spend-blood-and-treasure/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) [Browse all 115 Great nation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-nation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Every great nation, they said, was founded on a knife and a lie.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James S.A. 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