--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take up citizenship and the conversion it…" description: "\"“Take up citizenship and the conversion it entailed, send a couple of your sons to the levy when they were of age, pay taxes calculated not to drive yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/richard-k-morgan-3983_children_take-up-citizenship-and-the-conversion-i_2499149.png" --- # Take up citizenship and the conversion it entailed, send a… ![“Take up citizenship and the conversion it entailed, send a couple of your sons to the levy when they were of age, pay taxes calculated not to drive you and your family into penury or the mountains and the life of a bandit. Oh, and while you’re at it, steer clear of debt and disease. Chances were…” quote by Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/richard-k-morgan-3983_children_take-up-citizenship-and-the-conversion-i_2499149.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/richard-k-morgan-3983_children_take-up-citizenship-and-the-conversion-i_2499149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/richard-k-morgan-3983_children_take-up-citizenship-and-the-conversion-i_2499149.png) > ““Take up citizenship and the conversion it entailed, send a couple of your sons to the levy when they were of age, pay taxes calculated not to drive you and your family into penury or the mountains and the life of a bandit. Oh, and while you’re at it, steer clear of debt and disease. Chances were — mostly — if you did all that, you’d never starve, never have your home burned down and your children raped before your eyes, never have to wear a slave collar.”” [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopting responsible citizenship—paying taxes, avoiding debt, and staying healthy—provides security and protects families from hardship. **In simple terms:** Good civic habits prevent suffering. Key Takeaway Practice fiscal responsibility and health vigilance. Themes civic duty financial stability health family safety law Mood cautious pragmatic hopeful Type sociopolitical advice When to use this quote - home budgeting - public health campaigns - community planning - legal education Key Concepts social contract risk management historical precedent Questions to Reflect On - How can societies support vulnerable citizens? - What personal habits safeguard your family? A Different Perspective Economic collapse or oppression can still threaten safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversion/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ## Related quotes > [People say, 'If you don't vote, then you don't have a right to say anything. But nine times outta 10, I pay more taxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/people-say-if-you-don-t-vote-then-you-don-t-have-a-right-to-say/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [The way to reduce the deficit is to create jobs and work opportunities so that people will have money with which to pay taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/the-way-to-reduce-the-deficit-is-to-create-jobs-and-work/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [“They say that nothing is certain but death and taxes, and I already screwed one of those up, so I better pay my taxes…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-alexander-sims/they-say-that-nothing-is-certain-but-death-and-taxes-and-i-already/) Edmund Alexander Sims > [I want to specify that I pay my own taxes in France, for all my income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylian-mbappe/i-want-to-specify-that-i-pay-my-own-taxes-in-france-for-all-my-income/) [Kylian Mbappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylian-mbappe/) > [I pay my taxes when I was with ABS-CBN as an actress; when I was with Binibini, so I'll continue on doing that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-pay-my-taxes-when-i-was-with-abs-cbn-as-an-actress-when-i-was-with/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [There are two distinct classes of men - those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/there-are-two-distinct-classes-of-men-those-who-pay-taxes-and-those/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [So many people say, ‘You know, your taxes aren’t taken by force,’ and that’s foolish. If you don’t pay your taxes and you don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/so-many-people-say-you-know-your-taxes-aren-t-taken-by-force-and-that/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [A lot of the people that are poor take advantage of loopholes and pay no taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/a-lot-of-the-people-that-are-poor-take-advantage-of-loopholes-and-pay/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [By getting rid of loopholes, you are making the system more fair so people who make the same kind of money pay the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/by-getting-rid-of-loopholes-you-are-making-the-system-more-fair-so/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [It's a nice bonus but, you know, I have to pay taxes too. (after winning the Grand Slam Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/it-s-a-nice-bonus-but-you-know-i-have-to-pay-taxes-too-after-winning/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [I don't see why a man shouldn't pay an inheritance tax. If a Country is good enough to pay taxes to while you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-see-why-a-man-shouldn-t-pay-an-inheritance-tax-if-a-country/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I didn't pay my taxes for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-didn-t-pay-my-taxes-for-years/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Right now, America doesn't ask us to do anything besides pay taxes. We don't even have to vote. But as psychologists will tell you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/right-now-america-doesn-t-ask-us-to-do-anything-besides-pay-taxes-we/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) > [I am a little discouraged and irritated at the welfare recipient families growing in size all the time. Those of us who work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilmar-moore/i-am-a-little-discouraged-and-irritated-at-the-welfare-recipient/) Hilmar Moore > [We don't pay taxes. The little people pay taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leona-helmsley/we-don-t-pay-taxes-the-little-people-pay-taxes/) [Leona Helmsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leona-helmsley/) ## More by Richard K. Morgan > [“Pull on the new flesh like borrowed gloves and burn your fingers once again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/pull-on-the-new-flesh-like-borrowed-gloves-and-burn-your-fingers-once/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [The way I see it, anyone who's proud of their country is either a thug or just hasn't read enough history yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-anyone-who-s-proud-of-their-country-is-either-a-thug/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“These are pious, clean-living men, worshipping at the temple of their own bodies.” “Hmm. Sounds distinctly erotic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/these-are-pious-clean-living-men-worshipping-at-the-temple-of-their/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [As to the differences between game work and novel writing, well, obviously the former is a lot less lonely - you're in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/as-to-the-differences-between-game-work-and-novel-writing-well/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“ Books — the warm, leather-skinned weight of them in your hands, the way they smelled when you lifted them close to your face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/books-the-warm-leather-skinned-weight-of-them-in-your-hands-the-way/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“In any agenda, political or otherwise, there is a cost to be borne. Always ask what it is, and who will be paying. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/in-any-agenda-political-or-otherwise-there-is-a-cost-to-be-borne/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“... it’s just business, it’s politics, it’s the way of the world, it’s a tough life and that it’s nothing personal. Well, fuck them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/it-s-just-business-it-s-politics-it-s-the-way-of-the-world-it-s-a/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [I've seen 'True Detective' end-to-end at least three times; I'll probably see it again. It is a work of dark brilliance. But if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/i-ve-seen-true-detective-end-to-end-at-least-three-times-i-ll/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“The human eye is a wonderful device,” I quoted from Poems and Other Prevarications absently. “With a little effort, it can fail to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/the-human-eye-is-a-wonderful-device-i-quoted-from-poems-and-other/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“Overhead soft-bellied clouds panic toward the horizon like whales before the harpoon, and the wind runs addict's fingers through the trees that line the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/overhead-soft-bellied-clouds-panic-toward-the-horizon-like-whales/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [Certainly a decade and a half out in the real world, bashing my head against things, probably made me into a more textured writer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/certainly-a-decade-and-a-half-out-in-the-real-world-bashing-my-head/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [Take what is offered and that must sometimes be enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/take-what-is-offered-and-that-must-sometimes-be-enough/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [The human eye is a wonderful device. With a little effort, it can fail to see even the most glaring injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/the-human-eye-is-a-wonderful-device-with-a-little-effort-it-can-fail/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“Well.” Ringil gave the Throne Eternal captain another brittle little smile. “You know, the thing about fucking is, it’s a lot less wear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/well-ringil-gave-the-throne-eternal-captain-another-brittle-little/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“Men were like blades, they would all break sooner or later, you included. But you looked around at the men you led, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/men-were-like-blades-they-would-all-break-sooner-or-later-you/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) [Explore all 116 Richard K. 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I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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