--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One should never forbid what one lacks…" description: "\"One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg" --- # One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent. ![“One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg) > “One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One cannot prohibit actions they lack the power to stop; authority should match capability. **In simple terms:** Don’t ban what you can’t enforce. Key Takeaway Align laws with enforceable power. Themes law authority pragmatism Mood critical analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legislation - regulatory policy - public safety measures Key Concepts political theory legal limits governance Questions to Reflect On - What laws are impossible to enforce? - How can societies address unpreventable harms? A Different Perspective Overreliance on authority can ignore moral considerations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forbid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbid/) [Forbid Lacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbid-lacks-4161187/) [Lacks Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacks-power-4161188/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Prevent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-prevent-4161186/) [Prevent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevent/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [I will do everything in my power to prevent a Palestinian state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naftali-bennett/i-will-do-everything-in-my-power-to-prevent-a-palestinian-state/) [Naftali Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naftali-bennett/) > [“I was a slave, but never a fool. This empire is vast beyond imagining and we have killed only a fraction of the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/i-was-a-slave-but-never-a-fool-this-empire-is-vast-beyond-imagining/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [I'd like to change my butt. It hangs a little too long. God forbid what it will look like when I'm older. It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-hatcher/i-d-like-to-change-my-butt-it-hangs-a-little-too-long-god-forbid-what/) [Teri Hatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-hatcher/) > [When God says yes, no one can forbid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshepo-koos/when-god-says-yes-no-one-can-forbid/) [Tshepo Koos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshepo-koos/) > [“Writing may be masturbatory, but God forbid it should be an act off autocannibalism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/writing-may-be-masturbatory-but-god-forbid-it-should-be-an-act-off/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“This has nothing to do with what anyone else in all the world would approve or forbid. This is all their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-anyone-else-in-all-the-world-would/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [“So, apart from casting runes, what other hobbies do you have? Forbidden rituals, human sacrifices, torturing? –”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/so-apart-from-casting-runes-what-other-hobbies-do-you-have-forbidden/) [Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/) > [It can’t eat him. I forbid it. (Artemis) She can do as she pleases. I taught her to waste not, want not. (Acheron)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-can-t-eat-him-i-forbid-it-artemis-she-can-do-as-she-pleases-i/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [One of the lessons learned from 22 July is that we have to take seriously all those people who take part in debates on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/one-of-the-lessons-learned-from-22-july-is-that-we-have-to-take/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [In my studio, I forbid people to work if they have a down day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-wanders/in-my-studio-i-forbid-people-to-work-if-they-have-a-down-day/) [Marcel Wanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-wanders/) > [Forbid us something, and that thing we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/forbid-us-something-and-that-thing-we-desire/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [One must never forbid oneself anything. One must also be able to go back, one must always be able to change...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hartung/one-must-never-forbid-oneself-anything-one-must-also-be-able-to-go/) [Hans Hartung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hartung/) > [If a king tries to start a war, a mother should go to him and forbid it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/if-a-king-tries-to-start-a-war-a-mother-should-go-to-him-and-forbid-it/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [The Lord forbid that I should be out of debt, as if indeed I could not be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/the-lord-forbid-that-i-should-be-out-of-debt-as-if-indeed-i-could-not/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [“God forbid, if something happened & she lost him for good, she would give up anything to have him back. Anything & everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/god-forbid-if-something-happened-she-lost-him-for-good-she-would-give/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) ## More by Napoleon Bonaparte > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-grow-old-quickly-on-the-battlefield/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bullet-that-will-kill-me-is-not-yet-cast/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reputation is a great noise, the more there is of it, and the further does it swell. Land, monuments, Nations, all fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reputation-is-a-great-noise-the-more-there-is-of-it-and-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Character is victory organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/character-is-victory-organized/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/there-is-only-one-favorable-moment-in-war-talent-consists-in-knowing/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reserve-and-severity-of-manners-are-necessary-for-the-command/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Explore all 914 Napoleon Bonaparte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More Forbid quotes > [“God forbid, if something happened & she lost him for good, she would give up anything to have him back. Anything & everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/god-forbid-if-something-happened-she-lost-him-for-good-she-would-give/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) > [The Lord forbid that I should be out of debt, as if indeed I could not be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/the-lord-forbid-that-i-should-be-out-of-debt-as-if-indeed-i-could-not/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [If a king tries to start a war, a mother should go to him and forbid it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/if-a-king-tries-to-start-a-war-a-mother-should-go-to-him-and-forbid-it/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [One must never forbid oneself anything. One must also be able to go back, one must always be able to change...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hartung/one-must-never-forbid-oneself-anything-one-must-also-be-able-to-go/) [Hans Hartung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hartung/) > [Forbid us something, and that thing we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/forbid-us-something-and-that-thing-we-desire/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [In my studio, I forbid people to work if they have a down day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-wanders/in-my-studio-i-forbid-people-to-work-if-they-have-a-down-day/) [Marcel Wanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-wanders/) > [One of the lessons learned from 22 July is that we have to take seriously all those people who take part in debates on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/one-of-the-lessons-learned-from-22-july-is-that-we-have-to-take/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [It can’t eat him. I forbid it. (Artemis) She can do as she pleases. I taught her to waste not, want not. (Acheron)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-can-t-eat-him-i-forbid-it-artemis-she-can-do-as-she-pleases-i/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“So, apart from casting runes, what other hobbies do you have? Forbidden rituals, human sacrifices, torturing? –”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/so-apart-from-casting-runes-what-other-hobbies-do-you-have-forbidden/) [Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/) > [“This has nothing to do with what anyone else in all the world would approve or forbid. This is all their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-anyone-else-in-all-the-world-would/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [“Writing may be masturbatory, but God forbid it should be an act off autocannibalism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/writing-may-be-masturbatory-but-god-forbid-it-should-be-an-act-off/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When God says yes, no one can forbid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshepo-koos/when-god-says-yes-no-one-can-forbid/) [Tshepo Koos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshepo-koos/) > [I'd like to change my butt. It hangs a little too long. God forbid what it will look like when I'm older. It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-hatcher/i-d-like-to-change-my-butt-it-hangs-a-little-too-long-god-forbid-what/) [Teri Hatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-hatcher/) > [Different people's houses smell like different weird things. God forbid someone should come and nail down what my house smells like. It'd probably be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-mclendon-covey/different-people-s-houses-smell-like-different-weird-things-god/) [Wendi McLendon-Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-mclendon-covey/) > [To forbid us anything is to make us have a mind for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/to-forbid-us-anything-is-to-make-us-have-a-mind-for-it/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Browse all 75 Forbid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Bonaparte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-the-power-to-prevent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forbid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-the-power-to-prevent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/napoleon-bonaparte-206_should_one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-t_2095257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.” — Napoleon Bonaparte", "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": "Napoleon Bonaparte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One should never forbid what one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-the-power-to-prevent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/one-should-never-forbid-what-one-lacks-the-power-to-prevent/#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 } } ] } ```