--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No nation went into oblivion or was…" description: "\"No nation went into oblivion or was destroyed because it had bad laws, or because its statesmen were not intelligent, but because of INTERNAL CORRUPTIO..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/melvin-j-ballard-44736_bad-laws_no-nation-went-into-oblivion-or-was-dest_3171106.jpg" --- # No nation went into oblivion or was destroyed because it… ![“No nation went into oblivion or was destroyed because it had bad laws, or because its statesmen were not intelligent, but because of INTERNAL CORRUPTION, and because they could not maintain the POWER OF SELF-CONTROL.” quote by Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/melvin-j-ballard-44736_bad-laws_no-nation-went-into-oblivion-or-was-dest_3171106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/melvin-j-ballard-44736_bad-laws_no-nation-went-into-oblivion-or-was-dest_3171106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/melvin-j-ballard-44736_bad-laws_no-nation-went-into-oblivion-or-was-dest_3171106.jpg) > “No nation went into oblivion or was destroyed because it had bad laws, or because its statesmen were not intelligent, but because of INTERNAL CORRUPTION, and because they could not maintain the POWER OF SELF-CONTROL.” [Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that internal corruption and loss of self‑control, not bad laws, cause a nation's downfall. **In simple terms:** Self‑control prevents societal collapse. Key Takeaway Cultivate integrity and self‑discipline. Themes politics ethics societal stability Mood cautionary inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - government leadership - corporate culture - community organizations - educational institutions Key Concepts corruption self‑governance Questions to Reflect On - How can societies build self‑control? - What safeguards protect against corruption? A Different Perspective Even with strong self‑control, external threats can still destabilize a nation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-laws/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Oblivion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-control/) [Statesmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmen/) ## Related quotes > [For decades, the plight of the Palestinian people has been exacerbated by internal corruption, a lack of effective investment, and the political cynicism of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-sr/for-decades-the-plight-of-the-palestinian-people-has-been-exacerbated/) [Edgar Bronfman, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-sr/) > [The best use of good laws is to teach men to trample bad laws under their feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/the-best-use-of-good-laws-is-to-teach-men-to-trample-bad-laws-under/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) > [Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Some of us do not accept the Establishment myth that bad laws must be obeyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-driberg/some-of-us-do-not-accept-the-establishment-myth-that-bad-laws-must-be/) Tom Driberg > [Anyone who takes it upon himself, on his private authority, to break a bad law, thereby authorizes everyone else to break the good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/anyone-who-takes-it-upon-himself-on-his-private-authority-to-break-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [It may be said that the power of preventing bad laws includes that of preventing good ones; and may be used to the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-may-be-said-that-the-power-of-preventing-bad-laws-includes-that-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-difficult-to-make-our-material-condition-better-by-the-best-law/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“When EVIL men make bad laws, righteous men disobey them." 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Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) > [When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/when-i-so-pressingly-urge-a-strict-observance-of-all-the-laws-let-me/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/bad-laws-are-the-worst-sort-of-tyranny/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-me-not-be-understood-as-saying-that-there-are-no-bad-laws-nor/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/bad-facts-make-bad-law-and-people-who-write-bad-laws-are-in-my/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [We cannot, by total reliance on law, escape the duty to judge right and wrong... There are good laws and there are occasionally bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-bickel/we-cannot-by-total-reliance-on-law-escape-the-duty-to-judge-right-and/) Alexander Bickel ## More by Melvin J. Ballard > [The easiest way to destroy a man's faith is to destroy his morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-j-ballard/the-easiest-way-to-destroy-a-man-s-faith-is-to-destroy-his-morality/) [Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) > [There is only one way by which the nations can be brought into unity and into peace and into brotherhood. This is not through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-j-ballard/there-is-only-one-way-by-which-the-nations-can-be-brought-into-unity/) [Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) > [The greatest mission of woman is to give life, earth-life, through honorable marriage, to the waiting spirits, our Father's spirit children who anxiously desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-j-ballard/the-greatest-mission-of-woman-is-to-give-life-earth-life-through/) [Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) > [It is my judgment that any man or woman can do more to conform to the laws of God in one year in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-j-ballard/it-is-my-judgment-that-any-man-or-woman-can-do-more-to-conform-to-the/) [Melvin J. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) > [“I found myself one evening in the dreams of the night, in that sacred building, the Temple. After a season of prayer and rejoicing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-j-ballard/i-found-myself-one-evening-in-the-dreams-of-the-night-in-that-sacred/) [Melvin J. 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Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) [Explore all 9 Melvin J. Ballard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-j-ballard/) ## More Bad laws quotes > [Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/bad-facts-make-bad-law-and-people-who-write-bad-laws-are-in-my/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-me-not-be-understood-as-saying-that-there-are-no-bad-laws-nor/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/bad-laws-are-the-worst-sort-of-tyranny/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/when-i-so-pressingly-urge-a-strict-observance-of-all-the-laws-let-me/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“The visitor shrugged. "Like euthanasia? I'm sorry, Father, I feel that the laws of a society are what make something a crime or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr/the-visitor-shrugged-like-euthanasia-i-m-sorry-father-i-feel-that-the/) [Walter M. Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) > [“When EVIL men make bad laws, righteous men disobey them." Pastor Butch Paugh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarrin-p-lupo/when-evil-men-make-bad-laws-righteous-men-disobey-them-pastor-butch/) Tarrin P. Lupo > [It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-difficult-to-make-our-material-condition-better-by-the-best-law/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It may be said that the power of preventing bad laws includes that of preventing good ones; and may be used to the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-may-be-said-that-the-power-of-preventing-bad-laws-includes-that-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Anyone who takes it upon himself, on his private authority, to break a bad law, thereby authorizes everyone else to break the good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/anyone-who-takes-it-upon-himself-on-his-private-authority-to-break-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Some of us do not accept the Establishment myth that bad laws must be obeyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-driberg/some-of-us-do-not-accept-the-establishment-myth-that-bad-laws-must-be/) Tom Driberg > [“In short, we do not get good laws to restrain bad people. We get good people to restrain bad laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/in-short-we-do-not-get-good-laws-to-restrain-bad-people-we-get-good/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality. Freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/bad-facts-make-bad-law-and-people-who-write-bad-laws-are-in-my-2/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [The best use of good laws is to teach men to trample bad laws under their feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/the-best-use-of-good-laws-is-to-teach-men-to-trample-bad-laws-under/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) > [We cannot, by total reliance on law, escape the duty to judge right and wrong... There are good laws and there are occasionally bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-bickel/we-cannot-by-total-reliance-on-law-escape-the-duty-to-judge-right-and/) Alexander Bickel > [There’s this powerful phrase in the legal world, “Difficult cases make bad law.” The exception is the difficult case. You can’t generalize them by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/there-s-this-powerful-phrase-in-the-legal-world-difficult-cases-make/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Browse all 26 Bad laws quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-laws/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No nation went into oblivion or was destroyed because it had bad laws, or because its statesmen were not intelligent, but because of INTERNAL CORRUPTION, and because they could not maintain the POWER OF SELF-CONTROL.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melvin J. 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