--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you must break the law, do it to seize…" description: "\"If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.\" — Julius Caesar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10c/julius-caesar-7275_break_if-you-must-break-the-law-do-it-to-seize_91078.jpg" --- # If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all… ![“If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.” quote by Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10c/julius-caesar-7275_break_if-you-must-break-the-law-do-it-to-seize_91078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10c/julius-caesar-7275_break_if-you-must-break-the-law-do-it-to-seize_91078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10c/julius-caesar-7275_break_if-you-must-break-the-law-do-it-to-seize_91078.jpg) > “If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.” [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Use law as a tool for strategic power grabs, but otherwise respect it to maintain order. **In simple terms:** Strategic lawbreaking Key Takeaway Break rules only for power Themes politics ethics law power Mood cautious critical Type maxim political When to use this quote - revolutions - corporate takeovers - political coups Key Concepts governance strategy Practical Applications - political analysis - ethical debates Questions to Reflect On - When is breaking law justified? - What safeguards prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Such a stance can erode trust and legitimize chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) ## Related quotes > [The Bolsheviks did not seize power; they picked it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ulam/the-bolsheviks-did-not-seize-power-they-picked-it-up/) Adam Ulam > [“There is no limit of degradation to which power cannot bring anyone even with the loftiest principles. We would hope that being unprepared for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-meltzer/there-is-no-limit-of-degradation-to-which-power-cannot-bring-anyone/) [Albert Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-meltzer/) > [I am concerned about how to reverse the process by which a fundamentalist right and a corporate elite were able to seize power in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/i-am-concerned-about-how-to-reverse-the-process-by-which-a/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [“When ambitious men overcome a dynasty and seize power, they inevitably adopt most of the ways of their predecessors. —THE Muqaddimah OF IBN KHALDÛN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/when-ambitious-men-overcome-a-dynasty-and-seize-power-they-inevitably/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [I see nothing quite conclusive in the art of temporal government, But violence, duplicity and frequent malversation. King rules or barons rule: The strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/i-see-nothing-quite-conclusive-in-the-art-of-temporal-government-but/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [If however the law is so promulgated that it of necessity makes you an agent of injustices against another, then I say to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-however-the-law-is-so-promulgated-that-it-of-necessity-makes-you/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is no good time to break the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/there-is-no-good-time-to-break-the-law/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-the-machine-of-government-is-of-such-a-nature-that-it-requires-you/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Arms and laws do not flourish together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/arms-and-laws-do-not-flourish-together/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [I would never tell young people to break the law or avoid prosecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-carter/i-would-never-tell-young-people-to-break-the-law-or-avoid-prosecution/) [Cris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-carter/) > [I don't break the law\* made for crooks, when I take away my own property - thus I am not obliged to conform to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-don-t-break-the-law-made-for-crooks-when-i-take-away-my-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Anyone in a free society where the laws are unjust has an obligation to break the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/anyone-in-a-free-society-where-the-laws-are-unjust-has-an-obligation/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [People who want to express themselves need to be given an opportunity. 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When they break the law, they deserve to have handcuffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/you-can-put-handcuffs-on-people-who-push-the-envelope-when-they-break/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [If you are going to break a Law of Art, make the crime interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/if-you-are-going-to-break-a-law-of-art-make-the-crime-interesting/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) ## More by Julius Caesar > [As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/as-a-rule-men-worry-more-about-what-they-can-t-see-than-about-what/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Many of you wished me dead. Many of you perhaps still do. But I hold no grudges and seek no revenge. I demand only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/many-of-you-wished-me-dead-many-of-you-perhaps-still-do-but-i-hold-no/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [I am prepared to resort to anything, to submit to anything, for the sake of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/i-am-prepared-to-resort-to-anything-to-submit-to-anything-for-the/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind is closed, the leader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/and-when-the-drums-of-war-have-reached-a-fever-pitch-and-the-blood/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Arms and laws do not flourish together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/arms-and-laws-do-not-flourish-together/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/all-gaul-is-divided-into-three-parts-one-of-which-the-belgae-inhabit/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/no-one-is-so-brave-that-he-is-not-disturbed-by-something-unexpected/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Men gladly believe what they wish. -Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/men-gladly-believe-what-they-wish-libenter-homines-id-quod-volunt/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [All Gaul is divided into three parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/all-gaul-is-divided-into-three-parts/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [“Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt. (Roughly: It's easy for men to believe what they want to.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/libenter-homines-id-quod-volunt-credunt-roughly-it-s-easy-for-men-to/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Beer ... a high and mighty liquor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/beer-a-high-and-mighty-liquor/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [In war trivial causes produce momentous events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/in-war-trivial-causes-produce-momentous-events/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Go on, my friend, and fear nothing; you carry Caesar and his fortune in your boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/go-on-my-friend-and-fear-nothing-you-carry-caesar-and-his-fortune-in/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [Every woman's man, and every man's woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/every-woman-s-man-and-every-man-s-woman/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [I love treason but hate a traitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/i-love-treason-but-hate-a-traitor/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) [Explore all 89 Julius Caesar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. 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I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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