--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The evil was not in either ideal; the…" description: "\"The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.\" — Norman Angell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png" --- # The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the… ![“The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.” quote by Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png) > “The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.” [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imposing any ideal by force creates evil, not the ideal itself. **In simple terms:** Forceful imposition creates evil. Key Takeaway Avoid forcing beliefs on others. Themes ethics politics power violence Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political campaigns - community leadership - conflict resolution - policy making Key Concepts authoritarianism moral philosophy social control Questions to Reflect On - How can we promote ideals without coercion? - What safeguards prevent forced imposition? A Different Perspective Idealism without consent can lead to oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) ## Related quotes > [People are naive about such things, and they would rather write them off as evil than attempt to understand them. An unfortunate truth, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/people-are-naive-about-such-things-and-they-would-rather-write-them/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [I must fight unto the death the unholy attempt to impose British methods and British institutions on India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-must-fight-unto-the-death-the-unholy-attempt-to-impose-british/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [What an age experiences as evil is usually an untimely reverberation echoing what was previously experienced as good--the atavismof an older ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-an-age-experiences-as-evil-is-usually-an-untimely-reverberation/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It was suffering and incapacity that created all afterworlds - this, and that brief madness of bliss which is experienced only by those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-was-suffering-and-incapacity-that-created-all-afterworlds-this-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I'm kind of still down with Virg Woolf on this one: "women must kill the aesthetic ideal through which they themselves have been 'killed'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/i-m-kind-of-still-down-with-virg-woolf-on-this-one-women-must-kill/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [my definition of the ideal man is 'that particular man with whom a woman happens to be in love at that particular time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/my-definition-of-the-ideal-man-is-that-particular-man-with-whom-a/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) Fernando Bujones > [We fight to defend our democratic ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-austin/we-fight-to-defend-our-democratic-ideals/) [Lloyd Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-austin/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old Republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [I am fairly tired--bored beyond endurance--by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-am-fairly-tired-bored-beyond-endurance-by-the-world-we-live-in-and/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## More by Norman Angell > [It is not the facts which guide the conduct of men, but their opinions about facts; which may be entirely wrong. We can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/it-is-not-the-facts-which-guide-the-conduct-of-men-but-their-opinions/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The capitalist can only make a whole people go to war . . . by capturing the popular will. The only prophylactic against that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-capitalist-can-only-make-a-whole-people-go-to-war-by-capturing/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The obstacles to peace are in the minds and hearts of men. In the study of matter we can be honest, impartial, true. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-obstacles-to-peace-are-in-the-minds-and-hearts-of-men-in-the/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The greatest service we can do the common man is to abolish him and make all men uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-the-common-man-is-to-abolish-him-and/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [It is part of the moral tragedy with which we are dealing that words like 'democracy,' 'freedom,' 'rights,' 'justice,' which have so often inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/it-is-part-of-the-moral-tragedy-with-which-we-are-dealing-that-words/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The vested interests-if we explain the situation by their influence-can only get the public to act as they wish by manipulating public opinion, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-vested-interests-if-we-explain-the-situation-by-their-influence/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [“War has no longer the justification that it makes for the survival of the fittest; it involves the survival of the less fit. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/war-has-no-longer-the-justification-that-it-makes-for-the-survival-of/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [I joined the Labour Party not because it was Left Wing, but because it was definitely internationalists and would seem to be the group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/i-joined-the-labour-party-not-because-it-was-left-wing-but-because-it/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [God has made Canada one of those nations which cannot be conquered and cannot be destroyed, except by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/god-has-made-canada-one-of-those-nations-which-cannot-be-conquered/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [Let us face squarely the paradox that the world which goes to war is a world, usually genuinely desiring peace. War is the outcome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/let-us-face-squarely-the-paradox-that-the-world-which-goes-to-war-is/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [What could be a more Canadian way to indulge in the national preoccupation with perceptions - honest, hilarious, huffy or high-minded - of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/what-could-be-a-more-canadian-way-to-indulge-in-the-national/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [Everywhere I go I see increasing evidence of people swirling about in a human cesspit of their own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/everywhere-i-go-i-see-increasing-evidence-of-people-swirling-about-in/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [What is needed is the development in men of that particular type of skill which will enable them to make social use of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/what-is-needed-is-the-development-in-men-of-that-particular-type-of/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The Council of the Union of Democratic Control re-affirms its unshaken conviction that a lasting settlement cannot be secured by a peace based upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-council-of-the-union-of-democratic-control-re-affirms-its/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [Every nation sincerely desires peace; and all nations pursue courses which if persisted in, must make peace impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/every-nation-sincerely-desires-peace-and-all-nations-pursue-courses/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) [Explore all 16 Norman Angell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) ## 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 > [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": "The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Angell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evil-was-in-the-attempt-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evil-was-in-the-attempt-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/norman-angell-31664_evil_the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evi_2069855.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.” — Norman Angell", "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": "Norman Angell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The evil was not in either...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evil-was-in-the-attempt-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evil-was-in-the-attempt-to/#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 } } ] } ```