--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He that is to govern a whole Nation…" description: "\"He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it be hard to do, harder than t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg" --- # He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in… ![“He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it be hard to do, harder than to learn any Language, or Science; yet, when I shall have set down my own reading orderly, and perspicuously, the pains left another, will be only…” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg) > “He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it be hard to do, harder than to learn any Language, or Science; yet, when I shall have set down my own reading orderly, and perspicuously, the pains left another, will be only to consider, if he also find not the same in himself. For this kind of Doctrine, admitteth no other Demonstration.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective governance requires understanding humanity as a whole, not just individual cases; this broad insight is harder than mastering any specific discipline. **In simple terms:** Govern by grasping humanity, not individuals. Key Takeaway Broad insight trumps narrow focus. Themes leadership philosophy human nature education political theory Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical didactic When to use this quote - policy design - leadership training - curriculum development - public speaking - strategic planning Key Concepts collective understanding self-reflection systems thinking Practical Applications - leadership development - public policy formulation Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on humanity shape decision-making? - What risks arise from over‑emphasizing individual examples? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demonstration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) ## Related quotes > [I suppose you set up reading the Good Book all night-spoken by Woodrow Call](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/i-suppose-you-set-up-reading-the-good-book-all-night-spoken-by/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [One of my favorite things to do whenever I'm on the set, whenever I'm reading a script is to go through each and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-trachtenberg/one-of-my-favorite-things-to-do-whenever-i-m-on-the-set-whenever-i-m/) [Michelle Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-trachtenberg/) > [There are so many good books, I don't want to only read within one particular type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/there-are-so-many-good-books-i-don-t-want-to-only-read-within-one/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I'm not someone who has a list of great books I would read if I only had the time. If I want to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/i-m-not-someone-who-has-a-list-of-great-books-i-would-read-if-i-only/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [It's not necessary to have read everything about a particular subject in order to get interested in it. The main thing is to sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-englert/it-s-not-necessary-to-have-read-everything-about-a-particular-subject/) [Francois Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-englert/) > [“But while we are confined to books, though the most select and classic, and read only particular written languages, which are themselves but dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-while-we-are-confined-to-books-though-the-most-select-and-classic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Philosophy stands in need of a science which shall determine the possibility, principles, and extent of human knowledge à priori.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophy-stands-in-need-of-a-science-which-shall-determine-the/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Darwin gives courage to the rest of science that we shall end up understanding literally everything, springing from almost nothing - a thought extremely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/darwin-gives-courage-to-the-rest-of-science-that-we-shall-end-up/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us not fear that the issues of natural science shall be scepticism or anarchy. Through all God's works there runs a beautiful harmony.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/let-us-not-fear-that-the-issues-of-natural-science-shall-be/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [I firmly believe, that before many centuries more, science will be the master of man. The engines he will have invented will be beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-firmly-believe-that-before-many-centuries-more-science-will-be-the/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Can we ring the bells backward? Can we unlearn the arts that pretend to civilize, and then burn the world? There is a march…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/can-we-ring-the-bells-backward-can-we-unlearn-the-arts-that-pretend/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-a-nation-without-god-and-the-bible/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [So long as we govern our nation by the letter and spirit of the Bill of Rights, we can be sure that our nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/so-long-as-we-govern-our-nation-by-the-letter-and-spirit-of-the-bill/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [It must be that to govern a nation you need a specific talent and that this may very well exist without general ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-must-be-that-to-govern-a-nation-you-need-a-specific-talent-and/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/how-can-anyone-govern-a-nation-that-has-two-hundred-and-forty-six/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Unnecessary laws are not good laws, but traps for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/unnecessary-laws-are-not-good-laws-but-traps-for-money/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Demonstration quotes > [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [When the students were killed at Kent State, the cast voted to do a demonstration from the stage, and I abstained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-the-students-were-killed-at-kent-state-the-cast-voted-to-do-a/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) Willie Gallacher > [The only way to meet the modern demon-stration of the powers of darkness is by a demonstration of the power of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-only-way-to-meet-the-modern-demon-stration-of-the-powers-of/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/) [Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/) > [The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it's waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-out-there-is-not-waiting-for-a-new-definition-of/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [At the start of the second decade of the 21st century, young people all over the world are demonstrating against a variety of issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/at-the-start-of-the-second-decade-of-the-21st-century-young-people/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [The questioning is a stupid formality aimed exclusively at preventing us from speaking at the demonstration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/the-questioning-is-a-stupid-formality-aimed-exclusively-at-preventing/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [ We see it \[the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune\] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-see-it-the-as-yet-unseen-probable-new-planet-neptune-as-columbus/) [William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/) > [Mathematics is of two kinds, Rigorous and Physical. The former is Narrow: the latter Bold and Broad. To have to stop to formulate rigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-heaviside/mathematics-is-of-two-kinds-rigorous-and-physical-the-former-is/) [Oliver Heaviside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-heaviside/) [Browse all 411 Demonstration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it be hard to do, harder than to learn any Language, or Science; yet, when I shall have set down my own reading orderly, and perspicuously, the pains left another, will be only to consider, if he also find not the same in himself. For this kind of Doctrine, admitteth no other Demonstration.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demonstration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/thomas-hobbes-1127_demonstration_he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must_81443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind…” — Thomas Hobbes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He that is to govern a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```