--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world is ruled by a million evil men…" description: "\"“The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?” “That wouldn’t surprise me.” “And ten million stupid ones, and a hundred million cowards. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg" --- # The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?”… ![“The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?” “That wouldn’t surprise me.” “And ten million stupid ones, and a hundred million cowards. The evil men are the power—the politicians, the rich, the fanatics of religion. The cowards are the bureaucrats and paper pushers who are just doing…” quote by Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg) > ““The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?” “That wouldn’t surprise me.” “And ten million stupid ones, and a hundred million cowards. The evil men are the power—the politicians, the rich, the fanatics of religion. The cowards are the bureaucrats and paper pushers who are just doing their jobs. The billions of others that existed here were just cattle herded, but I fear the cattle are gone.” “So”” [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote depicts a cynical view of society, dividing people into evil powerful, stupid masses, and cowardly bureaucrats, suggesting humanity is reduced to herd-like existence. **In simple terms:** Cynical view of society's power and herd mentality. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek authentic agency. Themes power corruption human nature societal critique Mood skeptical dark reflective Type critical philosophical political When to use this quote - political activism - personal empowerment - critical thinking - social analysis Key Concepts political power mass psychology bureaucracy existential dread Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify genuine leadership? - Can collective action overcome systemic evil? A Different Perspective The view overlooks positive human cooperation and resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowards/) [Evil Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-men/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [The world is run by one million evil men, ten million stupid men, and a hundred million cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/the-world-is-run-by-one-million-evil-men-ten-million-stupid-men-and-a/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/when-evil-men-burn-and-bomb-good-men-must-build-and-bind/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [These are illusions of popular history which successful religion must promote: Evil men never prosper; only the brave deserve the fair; honesty is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/these-are-illusions-of-popular-history-which-successful-religion-must/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [For the Christian man to reason that God does not want him involved in politics because there are too many evil men in government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hatfield/for-the-christian-man-to-reason-that-god-does-not-want-him-involved/) [Mark Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hatfield/) > [The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-rifle-itself-has-no-moral-stature-since-it-has-no-will-of-its-own/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [On the whole, mental archaeology was a sordid digging proposition. The evil men did endured, the good was infinitely more ephemeral. You could generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-kieran-reilly/on-the-whole-mental-archaeology-was-a-sordid-digging-proposition-the/) [Helen Kieran Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-kieran-reilly/) > [There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-is-no-safety-for-honest-men-except-by-believing-all-possible/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [There were some things that only time could cure. Evil men could be destroyed, but nothing could be done with good men who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/there-were-some-things-that-only-time-could-cure-evil-men-could-be/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-this-moment-there-are-6-470-818-671-people-in-the-world-some-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Pope Alexander smiled. He seemed more amused with the story than horrified. "The Baglioni are true believers," he said. "They believe in paradise. Such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/pope-alexander-smiled-he-seemed-more-amused-with-the-story-than/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [The Christians who engaged in infamous persecutions and shameful inquisitions were not evil men but misguided men. The churchmen who felt they had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-christians-who-engaged-in-infamous-persecutions-and-shameful/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Listen...You could spend a lifetime trying to understand the works of evil men. Their joys are not ours. They love to inflict pain, create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/listen-you-could-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-understand-the-works-of/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [THE EVIL THAT MEN DO EVEN SURPRISES THE DEVIL HIMSELF.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-salis/the-evil-that-men-do-even-surprises-the-devil-himself/) [ABDUL SALIS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-salis/) > [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. That for all the evil men do, there are also people who work obnoxiously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/it-s-kind-of-the-yin-and-yang-that-fascinate-me-that-for-all-the-evil/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Matthew Mather > [“Stepping through the foot of snow and ash covering the roof, she found the stairway down. The door was locked. She chambered a round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/stepping-through-the-foot-of-snow-and-ash-covering-the-roof-she-found/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“A democracy based on fear is not a democracy. Fear of the commies, fear of the terrorists—it never ends! You know who else used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/a-democracy-based-on-fear-is-not-a-democracy-fear-of-the-commies-fear/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“The use of the shemagh and keffiyeh had been adopted by US troops since the war in Iraq”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-use-of-the-shemagh-and-keffiyeh-had-been-adopted-by-us-troops/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Everything needs to be vetted by a million committees, and we’re afraid of practically everything. We’re just not willing to accept risk anymore, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/everything-needs-to-be-vetted-by-a-million-committees-and-we-re/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Without artificial light, humans were scared animals that scurried into their nests at sunset. Darkness brought out the monsters that existed in our primal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/without-artificial-light-humans-were-scared-animals-that-scurried/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“This cyberwar felt like it had nothing to do with the future but was a part of the past, as if we were burrowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/this-cyberwar-felt-like-it-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-future-but-was/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Damon stared at me while Chuck read the message, a tendon in his neck flexing. “And we need more guns,” said Chuck from between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/damon-stared-at-me-while-chuck-read-the-message-a-tendon-in-his-neck/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“The only meaning to life is the one that you give it, and don't let anyone tell you diffrent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-only-meaning-to-life-is-the-one-that-you-give-it-and-don-t-let/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“enough duct tape, you can fix anything,” he laughed. “Perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/enough-duct-tape-you-can-fix-anything-he-laughed-perfect/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“didn’t take the bait. “Have you been introduced to the Borodins?” I motioned toward the elderly Russian couple at the table beside them. Aleksandr,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/didn-t-take-the-bait-have-you-been-introduced-to-the-borodins-i/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Do people really want to make the world a better place?” I asked. “Or do they just want to make a better place for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/do-people-really-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-i-asked-or-do/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Any technology that was sufficiently advanced seemed like magic to someone unfamiliar,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/any-technology-that-was-sufficiently-advanced-seemed-like-magic-to/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Reaching down, I pulled out the other bags and began stuffing them into my backpack while I looked to the next glowing red circle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/reaching-down-i-pulled-out-the-other-bags-and-began-stuffing-them/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Taking a deep breath, I realized I had it wrong. There was something we could still do. We can give their loved ones some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/taking-a-deep-breath-i-realized-i-had-it-wrong-there-was-something-we/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“People spent their lives searching for peace by chasing idle dreams, addictions, money, religion, and even other people, hoping to fill some gap. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/people-spent-their-lives-searching-for-peace-by-chasing-idle-dreams/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) [Explore all 51 Matthew Mather quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) ## More Cowards quotes > [There will always be people who will first wait for somebody's comment and then attack them. I'll say they are just cowards. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soni-razdan/there-will-always-be-people-who-will-first-wait-for-somebody-s/) [Soni Razdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soni-razdan/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Artists who say they do not want to mix up in politics are cowards who are not willing to come to terms with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/artists-who-say-they-do-not-want-to-mix-up-in-politics-are-cowards/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one's back... Watch out against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-is-the-disease-of-cowards-who-do-not-have-the-courage-to-speak/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/if-our-principles-are-right-why-should-we-be-cowards/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/though-this-nation-has-proudly-thought-of-itself-as-an-ethnic-melting/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [“Richard had noticed that events were cowards: they didn't occur singly, but instead they would run in packs and leap out at him all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/richard-had-noticed-that-events-were-cowards-they-didn-t-occur-singly/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [No police or military in the world can protect people who are cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-police-or-military-in-the-world-can-protect-people-who-are-cowards/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“I can only miss the true and I can only mourn the brave. Cowards make it easy to let go because you're not losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-can-only-miss-the-true-and-i-can-only-mourn-the-brave-cowards-make/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Of two cowards, the one who finds the other out first has the advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italian-proverb/of-two-cowards-the-one-who-finds-the-other-out-first-has-the-advantage/) Italian Proverb > [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. They avenge themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/people-cling-to-their-rotten-memories-to-all-their-misfortunes-and/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Haters are cowards. When confronted they often back down. We must resist haters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/haters-are-cowards-when-confronted-they-often-back-down-we-must/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [“Men are such cowards. They outrage every law of the world, and are afraid of the world’s tongue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-are-such-cowards-they-outrage-every-law-of-the-world-and-are/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Newspapers are a great place for cowards and malcontents to have their say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shaara/newspapers-are-a-great-place-for-cowards-and-malcontents-to-have/) [Jeff Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-shaara/) [Browse all 417 Cowards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?” “That wouldn’t surprise me.” “And ten million stupid ones, and a hundred million cowards. The evil men are the power—the politicians, the rich, the fanatics of religion. The cowards are the bureaucrats and paper pushers who are just doing their jobs. The billions of others that existed here were just cattle herded, but I fear the cattle are gone.” “So”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Mather" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men-did-you-know-that-wouldn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cowards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men-did-you-know-that-wouldn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/matthew-mather-12556_religion_the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men_1929001.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world is ruled by a million evil men, did you know?” “That wouldn’t surprise me.” “And ten million…” — Matthew Mather", "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": "Matthew Mather", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The world is ruled by a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men-did-you-know-that-wouldn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/the-world-is-ruled-by-a-million-evil-men-did-you-know-that-wouldn-t/#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 } } ] } ```