--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this country it is a good thing to…" description: "\"In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png" --- # In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from… ![“In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png) > “In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.” [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. Occasionally removing a leader can motivate others to perform better. **In simple terms:** Removing a leader can spur others. Key Takeaway Use accountability wisely. Themes leadership motivation power dynamics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - corporate management - military command - political reform Key Concepts political theory incentive structures Questions to Reflect On - Is fear an effective motivator? - What are ethical limits of punitive leadership? A Different Perspective Such actions can create fear and instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admiral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiral/) [Admiral Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiral-time-1537467/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Kill Admiral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-admiral-1537466/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [ In this country \[England\] it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others. The reference is to Admiral… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-england-it-is-good-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/) [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiral/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admiral" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/voltaire-173_admiral_in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-ki_933456.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In this country it is a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.” — Voltaire", "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": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In this country it is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-this-country-it-is-a-good-thing-to-kill-an-admiral-from-time-to/#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 } } ] } ```