--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would be easier to subjugate the…" description: "\"It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than the minds of a single village.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png" --- # It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe… ![“It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than the minds of a single village.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png) > “It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than the minds of a single village.” [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. Force can dominate physically, but influencing minds is far more challenging and lasting. **In simple terms:** Physical force is easier than mind control. Key Takeaway Seek to inspire rather than intimidate. Themes influence mind power ethics Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical persuasive When to use this quote - education reform - political campaigning - community leadership Key Concepts philosophy psychology social control Questions to Reflect On - What strategies effectively change beliefs? - Can coercion ever replace genuine conviction? A Different Perspective Changing hearts often meets resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) [Antiwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiwar/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Easier Subjugate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier-subjugate-5808132/) [Entire Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-universe/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Subjugate Entire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjugate-entire-5808133/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-force-5369037/) [Village](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/village/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“Devil-boy Jack: "A higher power than ours directs us against the wych-kin. There is no turning back." Thaniel Fox: "There is no higher power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wooding/devil-boy-jack-a-higher-power-than-ours-directs-us-against-the-wych/) [Chris Wooding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wooding/) > [Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/anyone-who-has-the-power-to-make-you-believe-absurdities-has-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [War is the father of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/war-is-the-father-of-all-things/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [You cannot win a War on Terrorism. It's like having a war on jealousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/you-cannot-win-a-war-on-terrorism-it-s-like-having-a-war-on-jealousy/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-not-dumb-obedient-slaves-in-an-army-of-destruction-be-heroes-in-an/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-reluctance-for-conflict-should-not-be-misjudged-as-a-failure-of/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [In war, as it is waged now, with the enormous losses on both sides, both sides will lose. It is a form of mutual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/in-war-as-it-is-waged-now-with-the-enormous-losses-on-both-sides-both/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [I believe that the entire effort of modern society should be concentrated on the endeavor to outlaw war as a method of the solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-believe-that-the-entire-effort-of-modern-society-should-be/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) [Stefan Halper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-halper/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## 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." 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America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was involved in the anti-war movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-was-involved-in-the-anti-war-movement/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) [Stefan Halper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-halper/) > [A good soldier is a blind, heartless, soulless, murderous machine. He is not a man. His is not a brute, for brutes kill only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/a-good-soldier-is-a-blind-heartless-soulless-murderous-machine-he-is/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-moral-and-constitutional-obligations-of-our-representatives-in/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The way I'm going now is to focus on peace, to create peace. As Sister Corita said, "I don't go to anti-war rallies. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-hong-kingston/the-way-i-m-going-now-is-to-focus-on-peace-to-create-peace-as-sister/) [Maxine Hong Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-hong-kingston/) > [Here's the thing. Just because you're pro-troops doesn't mean you're pro-war. And just because you're anti-war doesn't mean you're anti-troops. Just because you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/here-s-the-thing-just-because-you-re-pro-troops-doesn-t-mean-you-re/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/repetition-does-not-transform-a-lie-into-a-truth/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Once conscription was introduced during the First World War, and once Britain's wars ceased being confined to the empire or to continental Europe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/once-conscription-was-introduced-during-the-first-world-war-and-once/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) [Browse all 486 Anti war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than the minds of a single village.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-entire-universe-through-force/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anti war" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-entire-universe-through-force/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/voltaire-173_anti-war_it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-enti_3177352.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than the minds of a single village.” — 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": "It would be easier to subjugate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-entire-universe-through-force/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-would-be-easier-to-subjugate-the-entire-universe-through-force/#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 } } ] } ```