--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great causes and little men go ill…" description: "\"Great causes and little men go ill together.\" — Jawaharlal Nehru" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/jawaharlal-nehru-2391_causes_great-causes-and-little-men-go-ill-toget_72328.png" --- # Great causes and little men go ill together. ![“Great causes and little men go ill together.” quote by Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/jawaharlal-nehru-2391_causes_great-causes-and-little-men-go-ill-toget_72328.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/jawaharlal-nehru-2391_causes_great-causes-and-little-men-go-ill-toget_72328.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/jawaharlal-nehru-2391_causes_great-causes-and-little-men-go-ill-toget_72328.png) > “Great causes and little men go ill together.” [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When noble ambitions are paired with weak individuals, both suffer from misfortune. **In simple terms:** Noble goals need capable people. Key Takeaway Great aims fail with inadequate actors. Themes leadership responsibility ambition vulnerability ethics Mood cautious reflective serious Type proverb political maxim When to use this quote - political movements - corporate projects - social reforms - community initiatives Key Concepts power dynamics human frailty goal alignment Practical Applications - selecting strong leaders - matching talent to mission Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure the right people are chosen for big tasks? - What safeguards protect great causes from weak execution? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Causes Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes-little-946560/) [Great Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-causes-431950/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-men-437194/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [Since the bicycle makes little demand on material or energy resources, contributes little to pollution, makes a positive contribution to health and causes little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-s-wilson/since-the-bicycle-makes-little-demand-on-material-or-energy-resources/) [S. S. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-s-wilson/) > [Great causes cannot be served by intellectual equipment alone, they call for spiritual effort of soul-force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/great-causes-cannot-be-served-by-intellectual-equipment-alone-they/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My family has had a lot of trouble with cancer in particular. There are a lot of great causes out there but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-james/my-family-has-had-a-lot-of-trouble-with-cancer-in-particular-there/) [Casey James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-james/) > [Commitment to great causes makes great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/commitment-to-great-causes-makes-great-men/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I'm blessed to have the platform I have, and I'm going to spread the word. There's a lot of great causes, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-m-blessed-to-have-the-platform-i-have-and-i-m-going-to-spread-the/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [You have to spend your political capital on great causes for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mulroney/you-have-to-spend-your-political-capital-on-great-causes-for-your/) [Brian Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mulroney/) > [I don't know if people understand that there are different ways to raise money for great causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-dees/i-don-t-know-if-people-understand-that-there-are-different-ways-to/) [Rick Dees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-dees/) > [To me, 'Chopped' is a great platform for championing great causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-guarnaschelli/to-me-chopped-is-a-great-platform-for-championing-great-causes/) [Alex Guarnaschelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-guarnaschelli/) > [No sooner does a great man depart, and leave his character as public property, than a crowd of little men rushes towards it. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sooner-does-a-great-man-depart-and-leave-his-character-as-public/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Democracy demands that little men should not take big ones too seriously; it dies when it is full of little men who think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracy-demands-that-little-men-should-not-take-big-ones-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Great men cultivate love...only little men cherish a spirit of hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/great-men-cultivate-love-only-little-men-cherish-a-spirit-of-hatred/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Little jobs require little men, and it's the little jobs that keep a kingdom running.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/little-jobs-require-little-men-and-it-s-the-little-jobs-that-keep-a/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [Poor little men, poor little cocks! As soon as they're old enough, they swell their plumage to be conquerors. If they only knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/poor-little-men-poor-little-cocks-as-soon-as-they-re-old-enough-they/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [To little men, gods send little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callimachus/to-little-men-gods-send-little-things/) [Callimachus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callimachus/) > [“It is the mark of little men to like only what they know; one step beyond, and they feel the black cold of chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-the-mark-of-little-men-to-like-only-what-they-know-one-step/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## More by Jawaharlal Nehru > [“Without that passion and urge, there is a gradual oozing out of hope and vitality, a settling down on lower levels of existence, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/without-that-passion-and-urge-there-is-a-gradual-oozing-out-of-hope/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [What we really are matters more than what other people think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/what-we-really-are-matters-more-than-what-other-people-think-of-us/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [If the world suffers from mental deterioration or from moral degradation, then something goes wrong at the very root of civilization or culture. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/if-the-world-suffers-from-mental-deterioration-or-from-moral/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [It is now clear that science is incapable of ordering life. A life is ordered by values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/it-is-now-clear-that-science-is-incapable-of-ordering-life-a-life-is/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Success comes to those who dare and act; it seldom goes to the timid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/success-comes-to-those-who-dare-and-act-it-seldom-goes-to-the-timid/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [There is nothing more horrifying than stupidity in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/there-is-nothing-more-horrifying-than-stupidity-in-action/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I do not attach much importance to America's bombs. I attach importance to her great vitality and integrity. The strength of America is deeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/i-do-not-attach-much-importance-to-america-s-bombs-i-attach/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Ignorance is always afraid of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/ignorance-is-always-afraid-of-change/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/at-the-dawn-of-history-india-started-on-her-unending-quest-and/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [It is far better to know our own weaknesses and failures than to point out those of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/it-is-far-better-to-know-our-own-weaknesses-and-failures-than-to/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [“Time is not measured by the passing of yaers but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/time-is-not-measured-by-the-passing-of-yaers-but-by-what-one-does/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere following Gandhi's assassination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/the-light-has-gone-out-of-our-lives-and-there-is-darkness-everywhere/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Democracy and socialism are means to an end, not the end itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/democracy-and-socialism-are-means-to-an-end-not-the-end-itself/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I think the years I have spent in prison have been the most formative and important in my life because of the discipline, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/i-think-the-years-i-have-spent-in-prison-have-been-the-most-formative/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) [Explore all 169 Jawaharlal Nehru quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) ## More Causes quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [I don't wear rubbers cause you can't catch it twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-don-t-wear-rubbers-cause-you-can-t-catch-it-twice/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things / Like / My cousin comes to visit and you know he's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloise-greenfield/i-love-a-lot-of-things-a-whole-lot-of-things-like-my-cousin-comes-to/) [Eloise Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloise-greenfield/) > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. 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