--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We would all like to see a perfect moral…" description: "\"“We would all like to see a perfect moral state with no government being necessary at all. That is not reality. To the extent government is necessary, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/robert-peate-23717_politics_we-would-all-like-to-see-a-perfect-moral_2683913.jpg" --- # We would all like to see a perfect moral state with no… ![“We would all like to see a perfect moral state with no government being necessary at all. That is not reality. To the extent government is necessary, it is desirable, to keep us from each other’s throats, to keep the powerful from winning every dispute by virtue of their wealth. ‘Might makes…” quote by Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/robert-peate-23717_politics_we-would-all-like-to-see-a-perfect-moral_2683913.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/robert-peate-23717_politics_we-would-all-like-to-see-a-perfect-moral_2683913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/robert-peate-23717_politics_we-would-all-like-to-see-a-perfect-moral_2683913.jpg) > ““We would all like to see a perfect moral state with no government being necessary at all. That is not reality. To the extent government is necessary, it is desirable, to keep us from each other’s throats, to keep the powerful from winning every dispute by virtue of their wealth. ‘Might makes right’ is not only no way to run a country, it is the opposite of a perfectly moral state. It is, in fact, what you claim to oppose: the decision-maker answerable to no one, who suffers no consequence for his errors. You say it is wrong for government not to feel the pain of loss when it makes mistakes. You say it is wrong for the private citizen to suffer the consequences. And yet you place that same power in the hands of the wealthy without complaint. Why?”” [Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-peate/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government is needed to prevent the powerful from exploiting others; absolute liberty leads to chaos and inequality. **In simple terms:** We need rules to stop the rich from dominating. Key Takeaway Support balanced governance. Themes politics ethics power equality Mood concerned analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy - community safety - wealth regulation Key Concepts social contract rule of law wealth disparity Questions to Reflect On - How much authority is too much? - What safeguards protect against abuse? A Different Perspective Too much government can stifle freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-feel-1114441/) [Government Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-necessary-279921/) [Moral State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-state-723663/) [Perfect Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-moral-2602500/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Wrong Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-government-1104928/) ## Related quotes > [No party or candidate is perfect, but when you have your moral values, vote on that and you'll never be let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paulina-luna/no-party-or-candidate-is-perfect-but-when-you-have-your-moral-values/) [Anna Paulina Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paulina-luna/) > [“The realization that a decline in the moral state impedes the flowering of literature is a feeling unique to the Jewish people. 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To the extent government is necessary, it is desirable, to keep us from each other’s throats, to keep the powerful from winning every dispute by virtue of their wealth. ‘Might makes right’ is not only no way to run a country, it is the opposite of a perfectly moral state. It is, in fact, what you claim to oppose: the decision-maker answerable to no one, who suffers no consequence for his errors. You say it is wrong for government not to feel the pain of loss when it makes mistakes. You say it is wrong for the private citizen to suffer the consequences. And yet you place that same power in the hands of the wealthy without complaint. 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