--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A state too expensive in itself, or by…" description: "\"A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay.\" — Simon Bolivar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/simon-bolivar-13654_decay_a-state-too-expensive-in-itself-or-by-vi_1206554.jpg" --- # A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its… ![“A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay.” quote by Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/simon-bolivar-13654_decay_a-state-too-expensive-in-itself-or-by-vi_1206554.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/simon-bolivar-13654_decay_a-state-too-expensive-in-itself-or-by-vi_1206554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/simon-bolivar-13654_decay_a-state-too-expensive-in-itself-or-by-vi_1206554.jpg) > “A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay.” [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A state that spends beyond its means or relies too heavily on others will deteriorate over time. **In simple terms:** Overspending and overreliance cause decline. Key Takeaway Manage resources and dependencies wisely. Themes politics economics governance risk management Mood cautious analytical Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - budget planning - foreign aid negotiations - infrastructure projects - public sector reforms Key Concepts fiscal responsibility dependency theory statecraft Questions to Reflect On - How can a government balance investment with fiscal prudence? - What dependencies are most risky for national stability? A Different Perspective Neglecting long‑term sustainability can still lead to collapse despite short‑term gains. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/) [Dependencies Ultimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependencies-ultimately-3639917/) [Dependency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependency/) [Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Mutability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutability/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [State Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-expensive-3639915/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Ultimately Falls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimately-falls-3639916/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay; its free government is transformed into a tyranny;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/a-state-too-expensive-in-itself-or-by-virtue-of-its-dependencies-2/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [We are cognizant of time, the sense that there is mutability. 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A strong mind always hopes, and has always cause to hope, because it knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ludwig-von-knebel/true-hope-is-based-on-the-energy-of-character-a-strong-mind-always/) [Karl Ludwig von Knebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ludwig-von-knebel/) > [“It's a fact— everyone is ignorant in some way or another. Ignorance is our deepest secret. And it is one of the scariest things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-s-a-fact-everyone-is-ignorant-in-some-way-or-another-ignorance-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) ## More by Simon Bolivar > [Damn it, how will I ever get out of this labyrinth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/damn-it-how-will-i-ever-get-out-of-this-labyrinth/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [“Slavery is the daughter of darkness: an ignorant people is a blind instrument of its own destruction”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/slavery-is-the-daughter-of-darkness-an-ignorant-people-is-a-blind/) [Simón Bolívar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [Do not compare your material forces with those of the enemy. Spirit cannot be compared with matter. You are human beings, they are beasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/do-not-compare-your-material-forces-with-those-of-the-enemy-spirit/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [A people that loves freedom will in the end be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/a-people-that-loves-freedom-will-in-the-end-be-free/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [If Nature is opposed, we will fight her and make her obbey us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/if-nature-is-opposed-we-will-fight-her-and-make-her-obbey-us/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [In the unity of our nations rests the glorious future of our peoples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/in-the-unity-of-our-nations-rests-the-glorious-future-of-our-peoples/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [Flee the country where a lone man holds all power: It is a nation of slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/flee-the-country-where-a-lone-man-holds-all-power-it-is-a-nation-of/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [Colombians! My last wish is for the happiness of the patria. 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It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [One reason why my memory decays is that I have three cats, all so loving and insistent that they play cat's-cradle with every train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/one-reason-why-my-memory-decays-is-that-i-have-three-cats-all-so/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [We think literature is immortal, but even that decays and ultimately turns to dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-farren/we-think-literature-is-immortal-but-even-that-decays-and-ultimately/) [Mick Farren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-farren/) > [Wise people are able to give themselves gracefully to seemingly contradictory experiences, because they know that they belong to different seasons of life, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/wise-people-are-able-to-give-themselves-gracefully-to-seemingly/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [The ensouled is distinguished from the unsouled by its being alive. Now since being alive is spoken of in many ways, even if only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-ensouled-is-distinguished-from-the-unsouled-by-its-being-alive/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It seems that the whole world is beginning to decay, and that its putrefaction has chosen to spread outward from here, from the land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/it-seems-that-the-whole-world-is-beginning-to-decay-and-that-its/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) > [No government can be strong and flourishing while the national character is weak and degraded. A government must flourish and decay with its subjects;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-robbins-curtis/no-government-can-be-strong-and-flourishing-while-the-national/) [Benjamin Robbins Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-robbins-curtis/) > [But the grind has begun. 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