--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A political conception covers the right…" description: "\"A political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but it doesn't intend to cover anything else.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg" --- # A political conception covers the right to vote, the… ![“A political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but it doesn't intend to cover anything else.” quote by John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg) > “A political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but it doesn't intend to cover anything else.” [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political theory defines voting rights, virtues, and the good life, but excludes other topics. **In simple terms:** Politics focuses on rights, virtues, and the good life. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of political frameworks. Themes politics ethics theory citizenship Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - elections - civic education - policy debates Key Concepts social contract justice public reason Questions to Reflect On - What important aspects are left out of political theory? - How can we broaden political discussions? A Different Perspective Political concepts may overlook economic or cultural issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Good political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-political/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-life/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Right to vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-vote/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [A political conception just applies to the basic structure of a society, its institutions, constitutional essentials, matters of basic justice and property, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-just-applies-to-the-basic-structure-of-a/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Now the good of political life is a great political good. It is not a secular good specified by a comprehensive doctrine like those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/now-the-good-of-political-life-is-a-great-political-good-it-is-not-a/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [The good of political life is the good of free and equal citizens recognizing the duty of civility to one another and supporting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/the-good-of-political-life-is-the-good-of-free-and-equal-citizens/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Elections, especially of representatives and counselors, should be annual, there not being in the whole circle of the sciences a maxim more infallible than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/elections-especially-of-representatives-and-counselors-should-be/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Truthfulness has never been counted among the political virtues, and lies have always been regarded as justifiable tools in political dealings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/truthfulness-has-never-been-counted-among-the-political-virtues-and/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Protest is political. It is as political as what our conception of America is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/protest-is-political-it-is-as-political-as-what-our-conception-of/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Religious faith is an important aspect of American culture and a fact of American political life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/religious-faith-is-an-important-aspect-of-american-culture-and-a-fact/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [The real question should be: what makes a good political poem? The possible answers to that question are both obvious and yet still a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/the-real-question-should-be-what-makes-a-good-political-poem-the/) [Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/) > [An empty stomach is not a good political advisor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/an-empty-stomach-is-not-a-good-political-advisor/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The only good political movement I've seen lately was Occupy Wall Street. They had no leaders, which was genius. But unfortunately it always ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/the-only-good-political-movement-i-ve-seen-lately-was-occupy-wall/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [The first rule of good theatre is 'Show, don't tell.' It applies to good political action as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carne-ross/the-first-rule-of-good-theatre-is-show-don-t-tell-it-applies-to-good/) [Carne Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carne-ross/) > [It is hard to think of anything which more tragically and clearly exemplifies the phenomenon of good political intentions achieving the precise opposite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/it-is-hard-to-think-of-anything-which-more-tragically-and-clearly/) [A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals is instructive in painting a realistic portrayal of Lincoln and his methods for accomplishing his objectives. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/doris-kearns-goodwin-s-team-of-rivals-is-instructive-in-painting-a/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [An empty stomach is not a good political adviser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/an-empty-stomach-is-not-a-good-political-adviser/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We have two political parties in this country; we cannot have one of them be abandoned to complete nutcases. We've got to have two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/we-have-two-political-parties-in-this-country-we-cannot-have-one-of/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) ## More by John Rawls > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [First of all, principles should be general. That is, it must be possible to formulate them without use of what would be intuitively recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/first-of-all-principles-should-be-general-that-is-it-must-be-possible/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Intuitionism is not constructive, perfectionism is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/intuitionism-is-not-constructive-perfectionism-is-unacceptable/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [A political conception just applies to the basic structure of a society, its institutions, constitutional essentials, matters of basic justice and property, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-just-applies-to-the-basic-structure-of-a/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [If you compare the United States with Europe, my view is that what happened in Europe is that the church became deeply distrusted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/if-you-compare-the-united-states-with-europe-my-view-is-that-what/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Political philosophy is realistically utopian when it extends what are ordinarily thought to be the limits of practicable political possibility and, in so doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/political-philosophy-is-realistically-utopian-when-it-extends-what/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [The intolerant can be viewed as free-riders, as persons who seek the advantages of just institutions while not doing their share to uphold them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/the-intolerant-can-be-viewed-as-free-riders-as-persons-who-seek-the/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Of course, we know that not everyone agrees with assisted suicide, but people might agree that one has the right to it, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/of-course-we-know-that-not-everyone-agrees-with-assisted-suicide-but/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [When the basic structure of society is publicly known to satisfy its principles for an extended period of time, those subject to these arrangements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/when-the-basic-structure-of-society-is-publicly-known-to-satisfy-its/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [“Luther and Calvin were as dogmatic and intolerant as the Church had been. For those who had to decide whether to become Protestant or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/luther-and-calvin-were-as-dogmatic-and-intolerant-as-the-church-had/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [We may suppose that everyone has in himself the whole form of a moral conception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/we-may-suppose-that-everyone-has-in-himself-the-whole-form-of-a-moral/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Citizens can have their own grounding in their comprehensive doctrines, whatever they happen to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/citizens-can-have-their-own-grounding-in-their-comprehensive/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [There is a divergence between private and social accounting that the market fails to register. One essential task of law and government is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/there-is-a-divergence-between-private-and-social-accounting-that-the/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Many of our most serious conflicts are conflicts within ourselves. Those who suppose their judgements are always consistent are unreflective or dogmatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/many-of-our-most-serious-conflicts-are-conflicts-within-ourselves/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [The idea of public reason isn't about the right answers to all these questions, but about the kinds of reasons that they ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/the-idea-of-public-reason-isn-t-about-the-right-answers-to-all-these/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) [Explore all 87 John Rawls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) ## More Conception quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“Take sex, for instance.' 'What do you want me to do with it?' 'Try to be serious for a moment. Take the sex life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/take-sex-for-instance-what-do-you-want-me-to-do-with-it-try-to-be/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Bring the viewer to your side, include him in your thought. He is not a bystander. You have the power to increase his perceptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/bring-the-viewer-to-your-side-include-him-in-your-thought-he-is-not-a/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/) [Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [For the utilitarian, there is a fact of the matter about the good (the general happiness, or whatever conception of the good the utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/for-the-utilitarian-there-is-a-fact-of-the-matter-about-the-good-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Our modern conception of the universe is so foreign to what even scientists generally believed a mere century ago that it is a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/our-modern-conception-of-the-universe-is-so-foreign-to-what-even/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Music comes from the heart and returns to the heart... music is spontaneous, impulsive expression... its range is without limit... music is forever growing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-stokowski/music-comes-from-the-heart-and-returns-to-the-heart-music-is/) [Leopold Stokowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-stokowski/) > [The oppressed without hope are mysteriously quiet. When the conception of change is beyond the limits of the possible, there are no words to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/the-oppressed-without-hope-are-mysteriously-quiet-when-the-conception/) [Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/) > [“For Republicans, life begins at conception but ends at birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/for-republicans-life-begins-at-conception-but-ends-at-birth/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) [Browse all 865 Conception quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but it doesn't intend to cover anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Rawls" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-covers-the-right-to-vote-the-political-virtues/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conception" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-covers-the-right-to-vote-the-political-virtues/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc5/john-rawls-7786_conception_a-political-conception-covers-the-right_1762381.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but…” — John Rawls", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Rawls", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A political conception covers the right...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-covers-the-right-to-vote-the-political-virtues/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/a-political-conception-covers-the-right-to-vote-the-political-virtues/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```