--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government exists only for the good of…" description: "\"Government exists only for the good of the governed.\" — Pythagoras" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/pythagoras-2290_exists_government-exists-only-for-the-good-of-t_2981277.jpg" --- # Government exists only for the good of the governed. ![“Government exists only for the good of the governed.” quote by Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/pythagoras-2290_exists_government-exists-only-for-the-good-of-t_2981277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/pythagoras-2290_exists_government-exists-only-for-the-good-of-t_2981277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fe/pythagoras-2290_exists_government-exists-only-for-the-good-of-t_2981277.jpg) > “Government exists only for the good of the governed.” [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government's purpose is to serve the interests and welfare of its citizens. **In simple terms:** Governments should benefit the people. Key Takeaway Ensure policies prioritize public good. Themes politics ethics public welfare Mood reflective critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts social contract citizen rights governance Questions to Reflect On - How can we measure if a government truly serves its people? - What mechanisms protect against abuse of power? A Different Perspective May overlook minority needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exists/) [Exists Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exists-good-289989/) [Good Governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-governed-3877589/) [Governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governed/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-exists-495817/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [The good of the governed is the end, and rewards and punishments are the means, of all government. The government of the supreme and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-good-of-the-governed-is-the-end-and-rewards-and-punishments-are/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The good will of the governed will be starved if not fed by the good deeds of the governors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-will-of-the-governed-will-be-starved-if-not-fed-by-the-good/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Wherever an inferiority complex exists, there is a good reason for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/wherever-an-inferiority-complex-exists-there-is-a-good-reason-for-it/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Love is that which exists to do good, not merely to get good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/love-is-that-which-exists-to-do-good-not-merely-to-get-good/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [Fundamentally, however, there is neither good nor evil; this is all based on human concepts. In the universe there exists neither good nor evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-bardon/fundamentally-however-there-is-neither-good-nor-evil-this-is-all/) [Franz Bardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-bardon/) > [“Knowledge exists, and good will exists; but both remain impotent until they possess the proper organs for making themselves heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/knowledge-exists-and-good-will-exists-but-both-remain-impotent-until/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-good-manager-is-best-when-people-barely-know-that-he-exists-not-so/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If God exists then every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God's calling can matter forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-god-exists-then-every-good-endeavor-even-the-simplest-ones-pursued/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“There's a whole generation growing up thinking...the government exists to care for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey-rachel-cruze/there-s-a-whole-generation-growing-up-thinking-the-government-exists/) [Dave Ramsey Rachel Cruze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey-rachel-cruze/) > [I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/i-believe-that-people-have-a-right-to-decide-their-own-destinies/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“The government exists for one purpose—to take everything away from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wallace/the-government-exists-for-one-purpose-to-take-everything-away-from-you/) [Scott Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wallace/) > [Government exists for one purpose: to make things better for all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/government-exists-for-one-purpose-to-make-things-better-for-all-people/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [A fundamental premise of American democratic theory is that government exists to serve the people. ... Public records are one portal through which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/a-fundamental-premise-of-american-democratic-theory-is-that/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [No more essential duty of government exists than the protection of the lives of its people. Fail in this, and we fail in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-t-murphy/no-more-essential-duty-of-government-exists-than-the-protection-of/) [Francis T Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-t-murphy/) ## More by Pythagoras > [The oldest, shortest words - 'yes' and 'no' - are those which require the most thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/the-oldest-shortest-words-yes-and-no-are-those-which-require-the-most/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Truth is so great a perfection, that if God would render himself visible to men, he would choose light for his body and truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/truth-is-so-great-a-perfection-that-if-god-would-render-himself/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/none-can-be-free-who-is-a-slave-to-and-ruled-by-his-passions/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Above all have respect for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/above-all-have-respect-for-yourself/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-long-as-men-massacre-animals-they-will-kill-each-other-indeed-he/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [We ought so to behave to one another as to avoid making enemies of our friends, and at the same time to make friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/we-ought-so-to-behave-to-one-another-as-to-avoid-making-enemies-of/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [There is no word or action but has its echo in Eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/there-is-no-word-or-action-but-has-its-echo-in-eternity/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Know thyself and thou wilt know the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/know-thyself-and-thou-wilt-know-the-universe/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/geometry-is-knowledge-of-the-eternally-existent/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/if-there-be-light-then-there-is-darkness-if-cold-heat-if-height-depth/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [“There is geometry in the humming of the string.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/there-is-geometry-in-the-humming-of-the-string/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/above-the-cloud-with-its-shadow-is-the-star-with-its-light-above-all/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [If men with fleshly mortals must be fed, and chew with bleeding teeth the breathing bread; what else is this but to devour our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/if-men-with-fleshly-mortals-must-be-fed-and-chew-with-bleeding-teeth/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [The oldest, shortest words - yes and o - are those which require the most thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/the-oldest-shortest-words-yes-and-o-are-those-which-require-the-most/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [When the wise man opens his mouth, the beauties of his soul present themselves to the view, like the statues in a temple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/when-the-wise-man-opens-his-mouth-the-beauties-of-his-soul-present/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) [Explore all 174 Pythagoras quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) ## More Exists quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [What's gone will never come back, but it exists when you think of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/what-s-gone-will-never-come-back-but-it-exists-when-you-think-of-it/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I have to admit that I get quite emotional listening to the amazing talent that exists in the New York subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-o-hare/i-have-to-admit-that-i-get-quite-emotional-listening-to-the-amazing/) [Lisa O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-o-hare/) > [No good end exists for any dictator!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/no-good-end-exists-for-any-dictator/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Nothing exists until it is created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-coalson/nothing-exists-until-it-is-created/) [Les Coalson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-coalson/) > [I don't spend much time thinking about whether God exists. I don't consider that a relevant question. It's unanswerable and irrelevant to my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kaminer/i-don-t-spend-much-time-thinking-about-whether-god-exists-i-don-t/) [Wendy Kaminer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kaminer/) > [Once you realize just the sort of glut of books that exists out there, it does become incumbent on you not to add to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/once-you-realize-just-the-sort-of-glut-of-books-that-exists-out-there/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [The launch of phase 1 Ebola vaccine studies is a first step in developing a vaccine that could be licensed and used in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-launch-of-phase-1-ebola-vaccine-studies-is-a-first-step-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What do I believe? I believe in God, if he exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/what-do-i-believe-i-believe-in-god-if-he-exists/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [Love exists to show us how much we can endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-hesse/love-exists-to-show-us-how-much-we-can-endure/) [Herman Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-hesse/) > [More than ever, Romania now needs to see that a force exists that puts an end to Ponta and Antonescu's abuses and coup d'etat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/traian-basescu/more-than-ever-romania-now-needs-to-see-that-a-force-exists-that-puts/) [Traian Basescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/traian-basescu/) > [“Love exists to the extent that you give it away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-woodward-thomas/love-exists-to-the-extent-that-you-give-it-away/) [Katherine Woodward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-woodward-thomas/) > [Attention may sound dull, but it is an essential aspect of consciousness. 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