--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is not the enemy of man, but through…" description: "\"Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. Instead, therefore, of exclaiming against the ambition of kings, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/987/thomas-paine-267_ambition_man-is-not-the-enemy-of-man-but-through_1458474.png" --- # Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a… ![“Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. Instead, therefore, of exclaiming against the ambition of kings, the exclamation should be directed against the principle of such governments; and instead of seeking to reform the individual, the wisdom of a…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/987/thomas-paine-267_ambition_man-is-not-the-enemy-of-man-but-through_1458474.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/987/thomas-paine-267_ambition_man-is-not-the-enemy-of-man-but-through_1458474.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/987/thomas-paine-267_ambition_man-is-not-the-enemy-of-man-but-through_1458474.png) > “Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. Instead, therefore, of exclaiming against the ambition of kings, the exclamation should be directed against the principle of such governments; and instead of seeking to reform the individual, the wisdom of a nation should apply itself to reform the system.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systemic government flaws cause conflict; reform should target structures, not individuals. **In simple terms:** Governments cause conflict, not people. Key Takeaway Advocate for systemic change. Themes politics reform justice Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - activism - education reform Key Concepts social contract institutional critique Questions to Reflect On - What reforms would you prioritize? - How can individuals influence systemic change? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched systems is slow and faces resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Exclamation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclamation/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Systems of government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems-of-government/) ## Related quotes > [Each government accuses the other of perfidy, intrigue and ambition, as a means of heating the imagination of their respective nations, and incensing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/each-government-accuses-the-other-of-perfidy-intrigue-and-ambition-as/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/man-is-not-the-enemy-of-man-but-through-the-medium-of-a-false-system/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“When we survey the wretched conditions of man, under the monarchical and hereditary systems of Government, dragged from his home by one power, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/when-we-survey-the-wretched-conditions-of-man-under-the-monarchical/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our nation is built on the bedrock principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-cronauer/our-nation-is-built-on-the-bedrock-principle-that-governments-derive/) [Adrian Cronauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-cronauer/) > [No peace can last, or ought to last, which does not recognize and accept the principle that governments derive all their just powers from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/no-peace-can-last-or-ought-to-last-which-does-not-recognize-and/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“When a government turns from following the will of its people to willing its people to follow — acting according to its own prerogatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/when-a-government-turns-from-following-the-will-of-its-people-to/) [Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/) > [We are entering an era in which national government, instead of directing, enables powerful regional and local initiatives to work, where Britain becomes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-are-entering-an-era-in-which-national-government-instead-of/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [When you start talking about government as 'we' instead of 'they,' you have been in office too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-you-start-talking-about-government-as-we-instead-of-they-you/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [As the liberal sees it, the task of the state consists solely and exclusively in guaranteeing the protection of life, health, liberty, and private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/as-the-liberal-sees-it-the-task-of-the-state-consists-solely-and/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“It seems to be difficult if not impossible for human beings to avoid thinking of government as mystical entity with a nature and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/it-seems-to-be-difficult-if-not-impossible-for-human-beings-to-avoid/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/liberty-has-meaning-only-if-we-still-believe-in-it-when-terrible/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [It is not the legitimate province of the Legislature to determine which religion is true, or what false. Our government is a civil, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mentor-johnson/it-is-not-the-legitimate-province-of-the-legislature-to-determine/) [Richard Mentor Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mentor-johnson/) > [The representative system of government is calculated to produce the wisest laws, by collecting wisdom where it can be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-representative-system-of-government-is-calculated-to-produce-the/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [A man who is an enemy of the bride doesn't speak well of the wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-is-an-enemy-of-the-bride-doesn-t-speak-well-of-the-wedding/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I thought that a man can be an enemy of other men, of the moments of other men, but not of a country: not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-thought-that-a-man-can-be-an-enemy-of-other-men-of-the-moments-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/those-who-expect-to-reap-the-blessings-of-freedom-must-like-men/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-has-been-the-practice-of-all-christian-commentators-on-the-bible/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Wisdom is not the purchase of a day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/wisdom-is-not-the-purchase-of-a-day/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/our-citizenship-in-the-united-states-is-our-national-character-our/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/suspicion-is-the-companion-of-mean-souls-and-the-bane-of-all-good/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“To pass from the extremes of danger to safety-from the tumult of war to the tranquility of peace, though sweet in contemplation, requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-pass-from-the-extremes-of-danger-to-safety-from-the-tumult-of-war/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What more does man want to know than that the hand or power that made these things is divine, is omnipotent? Let him believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-more-does-man-want-to-know-than-that-the-hand-or-power-that-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) [Explore all 772 Thomas Paine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. 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