--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this country [England] it is good to…" description: "\"In this country [England] it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others. The reference is to Admiral John Byng, who was exec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-england-it-is-good-to-ki_1952391.png" --- # In this country \[England\] it is good to kill an admiral… ![“In this country [England] it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others. The reference is to Admiral John Byng, who was executed in 1757 for failing to prevent the French from taking Minorca.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-england-it-is-good-to-ki_1952391.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-england-it-is-good-to-ki_1952391.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-england-it-is-good-to-ki_1952391.png) > “In this country \[England\] it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others. The reference is to Admiral John Byng, who was executed in 1757 for failing to prevent the French from taking Minorca.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses satire to argue that eliminating a powerful figure can deter others, promoting caution among leaders. **In simple terms:** Removing a leader warns others. Key Takeaway Consider consequences of power removal. Themes politics satire leadership military history Mood critical historical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - military strategy - government policy - historical analysis Key Concepts deterrence political theory Questions to Reflect On - Is intimidation an ethical political tool? - What alternatives exist to deter misconduct? A Different Perspective Violent removal can destabilize societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Goddamn, you feel so good. You kill me, you know? Fucking kill me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/goddamn-you-feel-so-good-you-kill-me-you-know-fucking-kill-me/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [ When I read the script \[of Good Kill\], it read like a science fiction film. And Andrew \[writer/director Andrew Niccol\] is known for sci-fi.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/when-i-read-the-script-of-good-kill-it-read-like-a-science-fiction/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [Few years ago I did a movie, Good Kill, about drone pilots and for four or five months I'm obsessed with the Air Force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/few-years-ago-i-did-a-movie-good-kill-about-drone-pilots-and-for-four/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [In this country we find it pays to shoot an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-we-find-it-pays-to-shoot-an-admiral-from-time-to-time/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [An admiral should be put to death now and then to encourage the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/an-admiral-should-be-put-to-death-now-and-then-to-encourage-the-others/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [But in this country it is necessary, now and then, to put one admiral to death in order to inspire the others to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/but-in-this-country-it-is-necessary-now-and-then-to-put-one-admiral/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“How do you want to die, Admiral? We are D'Angeline. At the hand of numbers, or dreams?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/how-do-you-want-to-die-admiral-we-are-d-angeline-at-the-hand-of/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/of-this-voyage-i-observe-says-the-admiral-that-it-has-miraculously/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-admiral-says-that-he-never-beheld-so-fair-a-thing-trees-all-along/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [As president, I wouldn't be making the day-to-day combat decisions. The job of the commander-in-chief is to lay the objective out and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/as-president-i-wouldn-t-be-making-the-day-to-day-combat-decisions-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Thanks be to God," says the Admiral, "the air is soft as in April in Seville, and it is a pleasure to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/thanks-be-to-god-says-the-admiral-the-air-is-soft-as-in-april-in/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [I do want to say that I was just endorsed - and more are coming next week - it will be over 200 admirals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-do-want-to-say-that-i-was-just-endorsed-and-more-are-coming-next/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Admirals extolled for standing still, or doing nothing with a deal of skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/admirals-extolled-for-standing-still-or-doing-nothing-with-a-deal-of/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [We had generals who were admirals and admirals who wanted to be generals. Generals acting as admirals are bad enough, but it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-smith/we-had-generals-who-were-admirals-and-admirals-who-wanted-to-be/) Holland Smith ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Admiral quotes > [We had generals who were admirals and admirals who wanted to be generals. Generals acting as admirals are bad enough, but it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-smith/we-had-generals-who-were-admirals-and-admirals-who-wanted-to-be/) Holland Smith > [Admirals extolled for standing still, or doing nothing with a deal of skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/admirals-extolled-for-standing-still-or-doing-nothing-with-a-deal-of/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [I do want to say that I was just endorsed - and more are coming next week - it will be over 200 admirals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-do-want-to-say-that-i-was-just-endorsed-and-more-are-coming-next/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Thanks be to God," says the Admiral, "the air is soft as in April in Seville, and it is a pleasure to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/thanks-be-to-god-says-the-admiral-the-air-is-soft-as-in-april-in/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [But in this country it is necessary, now and then, to put one admiral to death in order to inspire the others to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/but-in-this-country-it-is-necessary-now-and-then-to-put-one-admiral/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [As president, I wouldn't be making the day-to-day combat decisions. The job of the commander-in-chief is to lay the objective out and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/as-president-i-wouldn-t-be-making-the-day-to-day-combat-decisions-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-admiral-says-that-he-never-beheld-so-fair-a-thing-trees-all-along/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/of-this-voyage-i-observe-says-the-admiral-that-it-has-miraculously/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [“How do you want to die, Admiral? We are D'Angeline. At the hand of numbers, or dreams?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/how-do-you-want-to-die-admiral-we-are-d-angeline-at-the-hand-of/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [There aren't any great men. There are just great challenges that ordinary men like you and me are forced by circumstances to meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-halsey/there-aren-t-any-great-men-there-are-just-great-challenges-that/) [William Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-halsey/) > [Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/among-the-men-who-fought-on-iwo-jima-uncommon-valor-was-a-common/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [Ford used to come to work in a big car with two Admiral's flags, on each side of the car. His assistant would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-widmark/ford-used-to-come-to-work-in-a-big-car-with-two-admiral-s-flags-on/) [Richard Widmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-widmark/) > [I call my dad 'Admiral Ass Hat,' he doesn't really think it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/i-call-my-dad-admiral-ass-hat-he-doesn-t-really-think-it-s-funny/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [This is Leo. I'm the... What's my title? Am I like, admiral, or captain, or..." "Repair boy." "Very funny, Piper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/this-is-leo-i-m-the-what-s-my-title-am-i-like-admiral-or-captain-or/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Regarding the air raid over Los Angeles it was learned by Army G2 that Rear Admiral Anderson...recovered an unidentified airplane off the coast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/regarding-the-air-raid-over-los-angeles-it-was-learned-by-army-g2/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) Browse all 79 Admiral quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In this country [England] it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others. 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