--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All it took for evil to prevail was for…" description: "\"“All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.”\" — Nathan Robinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg" --- # All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do… ![“All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.” quote by Nathan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg) > ““All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.”” [Nathan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil thrives when good people remain passive, highlighting the danger of inaction. **In simple terms:** Inaction lets evil win. Key Takeaway Act against injustice. Themes morality responsibility evil Mood urgent serious Type Evil:1 Good men:1 Prevail:1 Evil Prevail:1 Prevail Good:1 Took Evil:0 When to use this quote - political activism - everyday choices Key Concepts civic duty passivity Questions to Reflect On - What can you do today? - Why is silence harmful? A Different Perspective Goodness requires active effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Prevail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-prevail-1709450/) [Good men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-men/) [Prevail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevail/) [Prevail Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevail-good-1751450/) [Took Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-evil-5938463/) ## Related quotes > [For evil to prevail, all that good men have to do, is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/for-evil-to-prevail-all-that-good-men-have-to-do-is-nothing/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“For evil to prevail all good men have to do is NOTHING!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-anderson/for-evil-to-prevail-all-good-men-have-to-do-is-nothing/) [Anne Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-anderson/) > [All that needs to be done for evil to prevail is good men doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/all-that-needs-to-be-done-for-evil-to-prevail-is-good-men-doing/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-necessary-for-evil-to-prevail-is-for-good-people-to-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Evil might not prevail in the end, but it certainly doesn't fail to devastate in its time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/evil-might-not-prevail-in-the-end-but-it-certainly-doesn-t-fail-to/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [In our time all it takes for evil to flourish is for a few good men to be a little wrong and have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/in-our-time-all-it-takes-for-evil-to-flourish-is-for-a-few-good-men/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [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/) > [They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-orlov/they-say-evil-prevails-when-good-men-fail-to-act-what-they-ought-to/) [Yuri Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-orlov/) > [“..the world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-world-seems-full-of-good-men-even-if-there-are-monsters-in-it/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“The power of evil was nothing more than a tangible thing, something that given the strength of will, could be broken as easily as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/the-power-of-evil-was-nothing-more-than-a-tangible-thing-something/) [Nathan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/) > [The enemies of freedom will not prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frist/the-enemies-of-freedom-will-not-prevail/) [Bill Frist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-frist/) > [I am disgusted and worn out with the system that seems to prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buford/i-am-disgusted-and-worn-out-with-the-system-that-seems-to-prevail/) [John Buford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buford/) > [Through the worst we prevail so our voices will be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hatebreed/through-the-worst-we-prevail-so-our-voices-will-be-heard/) [Hatebreed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hatebreed/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) ## More by Nathan Robinson > [“The power of evil was nothing more than a tangible thing, something that given the strength of will, could be broken as easily as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/the-power-of-evil-was-nothing-more-than-a-tangible-thing-something/) [Nathan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/) [Explore all 2 Nathan Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [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/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Robinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/nathan-robinson-110598_evil_all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for_2388084.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.” — Nathan Robinson", "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": "Nathan Robinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“All it took for evil to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/#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 } } ] } ```