--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, the idea that a state, any…" description: "\"“Of course, the idea that a state, any more than a corporation, commits crimes, is a fiction. Crimes always are committed only by persons. While it is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/robert-h-jackson-10128_quote_of-course-the-idea-that-a-state-any-more_1577320.jpg" --- # Of course, the idea that a state, any more than a… ![“Of course, the idea that a state, any more than a corporation, commits crimes, is a fiction. Crimes always are committed only by persons. While it is quite proper to employ the fiction of responsibility of a state or corporation for the purpose of imposing a collective liability, it is quite…” quote by Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/robert-h-jackson-10128_quote_of-course-the-idea-that-a-state-any-more_1577320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/robert-h-jackson-10128_quote_of-course-the-idea-that-a-state-any-more_1577320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/robert-h-jackson-10128_quote_of-course-the-idea-that-a-state-any-more_1577320.jpg) > ““Of course, the idea that a state, any more than a corporation, commits crimes, is a fiction. Crimes always are committed only by persons. While it is quite proper to employ the fiction of responsibility of a state or corporation for the purpose of imposing a collective liability, it is quite intolerable to let such a legalism become the basis of personal immunity.”” [Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal responsibility rests on individuals; attributing crimes to abstract entities can create false immunity. **In simple terms:** People, not states, commit crimes. Key Takeaway Hold individuals accountable, not just institutions. Themes law ethics responsibility Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - courtrooms - policy debates - corporate governance Key Concepts Corporate liability collective guilt Questions to Reflect On - Can collective liability ever be just? - How do we balance corporate and individual blame? A Different Perspective Legal fictions may obscure personal accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The first responsibility of the state is to guarantee the safety of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-salinas-pliego/the-first-responsibility-of-the-state-is-to-guarantee-the-safety-of/) [Ricardo Salinas Pliego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-salinas-pliego/) > [The rearing of children is considered too important to be left to the individual and should be the responsibility of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-rearing-of-children-is-considered-too-important-to-be-left-to-the/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The first essential responsibility of the state is control of the market-place: there must be some official charged with the duty of seeing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-first-essential-responsibility-of-the-state-is-control-of-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Law and order is the responsibility of the state governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamata-banerjee/law-and-order-is-the-responsibility-of-the-state-governments/) [Mamata Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamata-banerjee/) > [No change in the balance of political parties can alter the general determination that no class should be excluded from contributing to and sharing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stresemann/no-change-in-the-balance-of-political-parties-can-alter-the-general/) [Gustav Stresemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stresemann/) > [If you are not taking responsibility for your state of consciousness, you are not taking responsibility for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-you-are-not-taking-responsibility-for-your-state-of-consciousness/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Successful economies in the modern world are not sheepish about the power and responsibility of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/successful-economies-in-the-modern-world-are-not-sheepish-about-the/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [“Think of all that energy you’ve been expending in feeling how unfair it all is…well, it’s perfectly fair. 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Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) ## More Responsibility State quotes > [The first responsibility of the state is to guarantee the safety of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-salinas-pliego/the-first-responsibility-of-the-state-is-to-guarantee-the-safety-of/) [Ricardo Salinas Pliego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-salinas-pliego/) > [The rearing of children is considered too important to be left to the individual and should be the responsibility of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-rearing-of-children-is-considered-too-important-to-be-left-to-the/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The first essential responsibility of the state is control of the market-place: there must be some official charged with the duty of seeing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-first-essential-responsibility-of-the-state-is-control-of-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Law and order is the responsibility of the state governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamata-banerjee/law-and-order-is-the-responsibility-of-the-state-governments/) [Mamata Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamata-banerjee/) > [No change in the balance of political parties can alter the general determination that no class should be excluded from contributing to and sharing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stresemann/no-change-in-the-balance-of-political-parties-can-alter-the-general/) [Gustav Stresemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stresemann/) > [If you are not taking responsibility for your state of consciousness, you are not taking responsibility for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-you-are-not-taking-responsibility-for-your-state-of-consciousness/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Successful economies in the modern world are not sheepish about the power and responsibility of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/successful-economies-in-the-modern-world-are-not-sheepish-about-the/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [“Think of all that energy you’ve been expending in feeling how unfair it all is…well, it’s perfectly fair. 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