--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good government is known from bad…" description: "\"Good government is known from bad government by this infallible test: that under the former the labouring people are well fed and well clothed, and und..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png" --- # Good government is known from bad government by this… ![“Good government is known from bad government by this infallible test: that under the former the labouring people are well fed and well clothed, and under the latter, they are badly fed and badly clothed.” quote by William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png) > “Good government is known from bad government by this infallible test: that under the former the labouring people are well fed and well clothed, and under the latter, they are badly fed and badly clothed.” [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A simple test of governance is whether the populace is adequately fed and clothed; prosperity indicates good rule. **In simple terms:** Well‑fed, well‑clothed people show good government. Key Takeaway Ensure basic needs are met. Themes economics politics welfare justice Mood analytical concerned Type philosophical political When to use this quote - social welfare programs - tax policy - employment law Key Concepts distribution inequality public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can governments balance material welfare with liberty? - What other metrics assess good governance? A Different Perspective Material provision alone doesn’t guarantee freedom or happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-government/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Good government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [Government is not infallible. Government is only an executive control, a centralized authority for the purpose of expressing the will of the people; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/government-is-not-infallible-government-is-only-an-executive-control/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [If human beings are fundamentally good, no government is necessary; if they are fundamentally bad, any government, being composed of human beings, would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-woodworth/if-human-beings-are-fundamentally-good-no-government-is-necessary-if/) Fred Woodworth > [A man who doesn't detest a bad government is a fool. And if there were such a thing as a good government on earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/a-man-who-doesn-t-detest-a-bad-government-is-a-fool-and-if-there-were/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“We all know that we have to put up with a bad government when it is bad; the problem is to find a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/we-all-know-that-we-have-to-put-up-with-a-bad-government-when-it-is/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It is the aim of good government to stimulate production, of bad government to encourage consumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-say/it-is-the-aim-of-good-government-to-stimulate-production-of-bad/) [Jean-Baptiste Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-say/) > [I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-always-believe-that-ultimately-if-people-are-paying-attention-then/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“If a government has the weak eyesight of a mole, that government only brings disaster to that country! The ability to see far is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-a-government-has-the-weak-eyesight-of-a-mole-that-government-only/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Life under a good government is rarely dramatic; life under a bad government is always so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/life-under-a-good-government-is-rarely-dramatic-life-under-a-bad/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [People are so docile right now. It is almost as if good government means when the politicians lie to us for our own good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/people-are-so-docile-right-now-it-is-almost-as-if-good-government/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [A government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston/a-government-is-the-only-known-vessel-that-leaks-from-the-top/) [James Reston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston/) > [The federal government has never been known for its sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-federal-government-has-never-been-known-for-its-sense-of-humor/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“It is right that the influence of the Government should be known in every humble home as the guardian of frugal comfort and content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/it-is-right-that-the-influence-of-the-government-should-be-known-in/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [The U.S. government has known since the early 1990s about Soviet-era smallpox weapons, and collected circumstantial evidence of programs elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-u-s-government-has-known-since-the-early-1990s-about-soviet-era/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [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/) > [History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-in-general-only-informs-us-of-what-bad-government-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by William Cobbett > [If the people of Sheffield could only receive a tenth part of what their knives sell for by retail in America, Sheffield might pave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/if-the-people-of-sheffield-could-only-receive-a-tenth-part-of-what/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [WESTBURY, a nasty odious rotten-borough, a really rotten place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/westbury-a-nasty-odious-rotten-borough-a-really-rotten-place/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [It is not the greatness of a man's means that makes him independent, so much as the smallness of his wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-not-the-greatness-of-a-man-s-means-that-makes-him-independent/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [There never yet was, and never will be, a nation permanently great, consisting, for the greater part, of wretched and miserable families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/there-never-yet-was-and-never-will-be-a-nation-permanently-great/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Protestations of impartiality I shall make none. Theyare always useless and are besides perfect nonsense, when used bya news-monger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/protestations-of-impartiality-i-shall-make-none-theyare-always/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Never esteem men on account of their riches or their station. Respect goodness, find it where you may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/never-esteem-men-on-account-of-their-riches-or-their-station-respect/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [DEAL is a most villainous place. It is full of filthy-looking people.Great desolationof abomination has beengoing on here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/deal-is-a-most-villainous-place-it-is-full-of-filthy-looking-people/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [“He who can deliberately inflict torture upon an animal, in order to heighten the pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/he-who-can-deliberately-inflict-torture-upon-an-animal-in-order-to/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request. It is by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/patience-is-the-most-necessary-quality-for-business-many-a-man-would/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Having still in my recollection so many excellent men, to whose grandfathers, upon the same spots, my grandfather had yielded cheerful obedience and reverence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/having-still-in-my-recollection-so-many-excellent-men-to-whose/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-in-a-single-leap-that-so-much/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Free yourself from the slavery of tea and coffee and other slop kettles!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/free-yourself-from-the-slavery-of-tea-and-coffee-and-other-slop/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [The ancient nobility and gentry of the kingdom... have been thrust out of all public employment... a race of merchants, and manufacturers and bankers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/the-ancient-nobility-and-gentry-of-the-kingdom-have-been-thrust-out/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [But what is to be the fate of the great wen of all? The monster, called, by the silly coxcombs of the press, "the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/but-what-is-to-be-the-fate-of-the-great-wen-of-all-the-monster-called/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [The very hirelings of the press, whose trade it is to buoy up the spirits of the people. have uttered falsehoods so long, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/the-very-hirelings-of-the-press-whose-trade-it-is-to-buoy-up-the/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) [Explore all 76 William Cobbett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) ## More Bad government quotes > [History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-in-general-only-informs-us-of-what-bad-government-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [People are so docile right now. It is almost as if good government means when the politicians lie to us for our own good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/people-are-so-docile-right-now-it-is-almost-as-if-good-government/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [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/) > [“Only bad religions depend on mysteries, just as bad governments depend on secret police." A character's response to a discussion about eating from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-gray/only-bad-religions-depend-on-mysteries-just-as-bad-governments-depend/) [Alasdair Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-gray/) > [“Bad governments always lie because telling the truth requires honour and courage!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bad-governments-always-lie-because-telling-the-truth-requires-honour/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The Complexities Of Life Caused By Bad Government Leaderships And Parental Mistakes Can Make A Child More Matured Than Their Age. It Happened To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/the-complexities-of-life-caused-by-bad-government-leaderships-and/) [Baba Tunde Ojo-Olubiyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/) > [The root cause of poverty is social injustice and the bad government that abets it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-root-cause-of-poverty-is-social-injustice-and-the-bad-government/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“It may be bad for you, but government has no role in dictating our lives. People should be free to imprison themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-may-be-bad-for-you-but-government-has-no-role-in-dictating-our/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/a-feeble-executive-implies-a-feeble-execution-of-the-government-a/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/where-there-is-little-or-no-public-opinion-there-is-likely-to-be-bad/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/my-reading-of-history-convinces-me-that-most-bad-government-results/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A people can prosper under a very bad government and suffer under a very good one, if in the first case the local administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/a-people-can-prosper-under-a-very-bad-government-and-suffer-under-a/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [“If a government has the weak eyesight of a mole, that government only brings disaster to that country! The ability to see far is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-a-government-has-the-weak-eyesight-of-a-mole-that-government-only/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [To lodge all power in one party and keep it there is to insure bad government and the sure and gradual deterioration of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-lodge-all-power-in-one-party-and-keep-it-there-is-to-insure-bad/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A government which is not liked by the artists is certainly a bad government, because artist sees very well what is behind the masks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-government-which-is-not-liked-by-the-artists-is-certainly-a-bad/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) [Browse all 80 Bad government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good government is known from bad government by this infallible test: that under the former the labouring people are well fed and well clothed, and under the latter, they are badly fed and badly clothed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Cobbett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/good-government-is-known-from-bad-government-by-this-infallible-test/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/good-government-is-known-from-bad-government-by-this-infallible-test/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/william-cobbett-8980_bad-government_good-government-is-known-from-bad-govern_1597588.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good government is known from bad government by this infallible test: that under the former the labouring…” — William Cobbett", "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": "William Cobbett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good government is known from bad...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/good-government-is-known-from-bad-government-by-this-infallible-test/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/good-government-is-known-from-bad-government-by-this-infallible-test/#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 } } ] } ```