--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: that is required for evil to prevail is…" description: "\"“that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”\" — Patricia Briggs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png" --- # that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do… ![“that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” quote by Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png) > ““that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”” [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goodness must act; silence lets evil thrive. **In simple terms:** Inaction enables evil. Key Takeaway Take action against injustice. Themes justice activism responsibility Mood determined concerned Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - community organizing - personal advocacy - workplace ethics Key Concepts moral courage civic duty ethical action Questions to Reflect On - What injustice will you confront? - How can you act responsibly? A Different Perspective Action may be risky or ineffective alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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/) [Required Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/required-evil-1751449/) ## 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/) > [“All it took for evil to prevail was for good men to do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-robinson/all-it-took-for-evil-to-prevail-was-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/) [Nathan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-robinson/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [Evil must always be fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/evil-must-always-be-fought/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [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 Patricia Briggs > [“His favorite saying was, 'Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum." "'Sometimes I have the urge to conquer large parts of Europe'?" Boyd said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/his-favorite-saying-was-interdum-feror-cupidine-partium-magnarum/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Stefan: "Indian with a dot, not a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/stefan-indian-with-a-dot-not-a-feather/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“want to. Adam wasn’t angry. He wouldn’t hurt me. I let him pull the power of his pack over me like a warm”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/want-to-adam-wasn-t-angry-he-wouldn-t-hurt-me-i-let-him-pull-the/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I promise I won't spank you," he told me, his voice rough and low as he added, "not unless you ask me to." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-promise-i-won-t-spank-you-he-told-me-his-voice-rough-and-low-as-he/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Love is not necessary for sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/love-is-not-necessary-for-sex/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I paused to pat the truck’s hood gently in apology when someone put his hand on my shoulder. I grabbed the hand and rotated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-paused-to-pat-the-truck-s-hood-gently-in-apology-when-someone-put/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [In this dream, I wasn’t a coyote shapeshifter trying to hold a werewolf, I was Coyote’s almost daughter, and I had all the strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/in-this-dream-i-wasn-t-a-coyote-shapeshifter-trying-to-hold-a/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“She hit us,” the woman shrieked. That was the gist of it anyway. There were a lot of unladylike words that began with “F,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/she-hit-us-the-woman-shrieked-that-was-the-gist-of-it-anyway-there/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Charles was most comfortable by himself or, if that wasn't possible, with his pack in the wild. Talking for hours in a crowded auditorium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-was-most-comfortable-by-himself-or-if-that-wasn-t-possible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Evil must always be fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/evil-must-always-be-fought/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Beauclaire, for his part, sank back in the soft material of the couch as if the thought that it would impede him should he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/beauclaire-for-his-part-sank-back-in-the-soft-material-of-the-couch/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [What do you mean?” Leslie’s voice was cool, as if she questioned witches who were flat on their backs being threatened by werewolves every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/what-do-you-mean-leslie-s-voice-was-cool-as-if-she-questioned-witches/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [I am not attempting to preserve culture, or record actual events or stories. Instead I bow my head in gratitude to those storytellers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-am-not-attempting-to-preserve-culture-or-record-actual-events-or/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) [Explore all 467 Patricia Briggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## 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": "“that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patricia Briggs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/patricia-briggs-571_evil_that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is_957747.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” — Patricia Briggs", "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": "Patricia Briggs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“that is required for evil to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is-for-good-men-to-do-nothing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/that-is-required-for-evil-to-prevail-is-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 } } ] } ```