---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ruin of a State is generally preceded…"
description: "\"The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.\" — Jonathan Swift"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/jonathan-swift-433_contempt_the-ruin-of-a-state-is-generally-precede_2346935.jpg"
---

#  The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal…

![“The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/jonathan-swift-433_contempt_the-ruin-of-a-state-is-generally-precede_2346935.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/jonathan-swift-433_contempt_the-ruin-of-a-state-is-generally-precede_2346935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/jonathan-swift-433_contempt_the-ruin-of-a-state-is-generally-precede_2346935.jpg)

> “The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.”

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Societal decay begins with moral decline and loss of reverence for higher values.

**In simple terms:** Moral decay leads to state ruin.

Key Takeaway

Uphold ethical standards.

Themes

politics morality societal decline religion culture

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- government policy
- education reform
- community building

Key Concepts

ethical erosion civic responsibility cultural decay

Questions to Reflect On

- What values can strengthen a society?
- How can individuals counter moral decay?

A Different Perspective

Not all societies experience the same decline.

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[Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/)

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[Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/)

> [Every general increase of freedom is accompanied by some degeneracy, attributable to the same causes as the freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-horton-cooley/every-general-increase-of-freedom-is-accompanied-by-some-degeneracy/)

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> [Degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors. Time has proven that illustrious tyrants are succeeded by scoundrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/degeneracy-follows-every-autocratic-system-of-violence-for-violence/)

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> [Those who wallow around in the sickness of their immorality and degeneracy get very little joy out of life here and certainly not much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/those-who-wallow-around-in-the-sickness-of-their-immorality-and/)

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> [“Degeneracy is the only freedom fascism allows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-vassi/degeneracy-is-the-only-freedom-fascism-allows/)

Marco Vassi

> [But in all despotic governments, though a particular prince may favour arts and letter, there is a natural degeneracy of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/but-in-all-despotic-governments-though-a-particular-prince-may-favour/)

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[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

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## More Contempt quotes

> [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/)

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[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/)

[Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/)

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