---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are called upon to govern humans…"
description: "\"If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them humanely.\" — Mikhail Kalinin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg"
---

#  If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them…

![“If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them humanely.” quote by Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg)

> “If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them humanely.”

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

## About This Quote

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

Governors must treat citizens with humanity, respecting their dignity.

**In simple terms:** Govern humanely.

Key Takeaway

Lead with empathy.

Themes

leadership humanity governance

Mood

serious inspirational

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- public policy
- community management
- humanitarian work

Key Concepts

political theory ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can leaders stay humane?
- What safeguards protect citizens?

A Different Perspective

Power can corrupt empathy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Called Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-govern-4015614/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern/) [Govern Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern-humans-4015613/) [Humanely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanely-431533/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Treat Humanely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-humanely-4015612/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/)

## Related quotes

> [“Keep in mind that democracy merely gives power to the people; it does not ensure that power will be used wisely or humanely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/keep-in-mind-that-democracy-merely-gives-power-to-the-people-it-does/)

[Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/)

> [Knowledge humanely applied makes human progress possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/knowledge-humanely-applied-makes-human-progress-possible/)

[Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/)

> [“It often happens that a human is more humanely related to a cat or dog than to any human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-often-happens-that-a-human-is-more-humanely-related-to-a-cat-or/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [You treat detainees humanely because you know the other side will also treat detainees humanely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/you-treat-detainees-humanely-because-you-know-the-other-side-will/)

[Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/)

> [It seems to me perfectly possible to act humanely towards other beings, whether humans or animals or plants. One simply has to learn how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/it-seems-to-me-perfectly-possible-to-act-humanely-towards-other/)

[Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/)

> [Even in war, everyone deserves to be treated humanely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/even-in-war-everyone-deserves-to-be-treated-humanely/)

[Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/)

> [“Extermination must be put on a scientific basis if it is ever to be carried out humanely and apologetically as well as thoroughly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/extermination-must-be-put-on-a-scientific-basis-if-it-is-ever-to-be/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [If you absolutely must express yourself with the use of animal hide, fur, antlers etc., then at the very least make sure it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-farr/if-you-absolutely-must-express-yourself-with-the-use-of-animal-hide/)

[Hilary Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-farr/)

> [It often happens that a man is more humanely related to a cat or dog than to any human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-often-happens-that-a-man-is-more-humanely-related-to-a-cat-or-dog/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [... what we can be positive about is what we have just said, namely that they must be given the right education, whatever that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-we-can-be-positive-about-is-what-we-have-just-said-namely-that/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Our laws are a reflection of our culture. Our culture does not condone the torture of innocent and defenseless creatures. And we as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-moore/our-laws-are-a-reflection-of-our-culture-our-culture-does-not-condone/)

[Joe Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-moore/)

> [In order for a government to act humanely towards someone, it must first act inhumanely towards someone else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith-2/in-order-for-a-government-to-act-humanely-towards-someone-it-must/)

[L Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith-2/)

> [You're going to have a deportation force. And you're going to do it humanely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-re-going-to-have-a-deportation-force-and-you-re-going-to-do-it/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Over the years I have developed a picture of what a human being living humanely is like. She is a person who understand, values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/over-the-years-i-have-developed-a-picture-of-what-a-human-being/)

[Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/)

> [Treat people humanely. irrespective of their appearance, wealth and status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-al-arifi/treat-people-humanely-irrespective-of-their-appearance-wealth-and/)

[Dr Al-Arifi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-al-arifi/)

## More by Mikhail Kalinin

> [For thousands of years humankind's finest minds have been struggling with the theoretical problem of finding the forms that would give peoples the possibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/for-thousands-of-years-humankind-s-finest-minds-have-been-struggling/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

> [The whole history of my life, and in essence the whole history of the working class consists of this: that we have lived and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/the-whole-history-of-my-life-and-in-essence-the-whole-history-of-the/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

> [You must remember that we persecute nobody for religion. We regard religion as an error and fight it with education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/you-must-remember-that-we-persecute-nobody-for-religion-we-regard/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

> [But even now, after the greatest victory known to history we cannot for one minute forget the basic fact that our country remains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/but-even-now-after-the-greatest-victory-known-to-history-we-cannot/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

> [The Jews will become socialist colonisers with strong fists and sharp teeth, a strong national group within the Soviet family of nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/the-jews-will-become-socialist-colonisers-with-strong-fists-and-sharp/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

> [The national question is purely a peasant question...the best way to eliminate nationality is a massive factory with thousands of workers..., which like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/the-national-question-is-purely-a-peasant-question-the-best-way-to/)

[Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

[Explore all 7 Mikhail Kalinin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/)

## More Democracy quotes

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/)

[Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/)

[William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/)

> [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/)

[Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/)

> [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/)

[Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them humanely.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mikhail Kalinin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans-treat-them-humanely/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Democracy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans-treat-them-humanely/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/mikhail-kalinin-51781_democracy_if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans_1262043.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you are called upon to govern humans, treat them humanely.” — Mikhail Kalinin",
                "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": "Mikhail Kalinin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you are called upon to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans-treat-them-humanely/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/if-you-are-called-upon-to-govern-humans-treat-them-humanely/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
