--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here is my first principle of foreign…" description: "\"Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.\" — William E. Gladstone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png" --- # Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good… ![“Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.” quote by William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png) > “Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.” [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective foreign policy starts with strong domestic governance. **In simple terms:** Good home government leads to good foreign policy. Key Takeaway Prioritize domestic stability first. Themes governance foreign policy principles Mood analytical serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - budget planning - election campaigns - international negotiations Key Concepts political theory statecraft public administration Questions to Reflect On - How does internal policy shape external actions? - What domestic reforms improve diplomacy? A Different Perspective Domestic issues can distract from global challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Good government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-home-4921749/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Policy Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-good-1045966/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Principle Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-foreign-4921748/) ## Related quotes > [Be yourself. Hillary Clinton, you have a great vision for our country. You know the policy, you have good judgment that springs from that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/be-yourself-hillary-clinton-you-have-a-great-vision-for-our-country/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Bad administration, to be sure, can destroy good policy, but good administration can never save bad policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/bad-administration-to-be-sure-can-destroy-good-policy-but-good/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [In many spheres of human endeavor, from science to business to education to economic policy, good decisions depend on good measurement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/in-many-spheres-of-human-endeavor-from-science-to-business-to/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [Good environmental policy is good economic policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/good-environmental-policy-is-good-economic-policy/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Well they have an input into policy but in the end governments are elected to put together policy but the good thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anderson/well-they-have-an-input-into-policy-but-in-the-end-governments-are/) [John Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anderson/) > [Smart energy policy is good for the economy and our environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/smart-energy-policy-is-good-for-the-economy-and-our-environment/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [In the end, rational policy is always good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-keating/in-the-end-rational-policy-is-always-good/) [Paul Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-keating/) > [I'm a big believer that good policy is good politics. And so, when it comes to making decisions on policy issues, what I endeavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-m-a-big-believer-that-good-policy-is-good-politics-and-so-when-it/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [We all saw it coming. Arsenal's youth policy has always been very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-hodgson/we-all-saw-it-coming-arsenal-s-youth-policy-has-always-been-very-good/) [Roy Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-hodgson/) > [I always thought a very strong anti-drug policy was a good thing for my union members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-lynch/i-always-thought-a-very-strong-anti-drug-policy-was-a-good-thing-for/) [Stephen F. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-lynch/) > [In the field of world policy; I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-the-field-of-world-policy-i-would-dedicate-this-nation-to-the/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Forget the consultants, the pundits and the pollsters; good policy is good politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/forget-the-consultants-the-pundits-and-the-pollsters-good-policy-is/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [One's ability to enter into thousands of lawsuits as a tool for success, or to use bankruptcy to avoid paying your former employees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/one-s-ability-to-enter-into-thousands-of-lawsuits-as-a-tool-for/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [“What did “good government” really mean? Langlie and his brotherhood promised an end to political corruption. (There’s no evidence that Langlie ever even took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sharlet/what-did-good-government-really-mean-langlie-and-his-brotherhood/) [Jeff Sharlet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sharlet/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## More by William E. Gladstone > [I think that the principle of the Conservative Party is jealousy of liberty and of the people , only qualified by fear ; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/i-think-that-the-principle-of-the-conservative-party-is-jealousy-of/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [National injustice is the surest road to national downfall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/national-injustice-is-the-surest-road-to-national-downfall/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [For works of the mind really great there is no old age, no decrepitude. It is inconceivable that a time should come when Homer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/for-works-of-the-mind-really-great-there-is-no-old-age-no-decrepitude/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [It is not a life at all. It is a reticence, in three volumes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/it-is-not-a-life-at-all-it-is-a-reticence-in-three-volumes/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [There is a limit to the work that can be got out of a human body or a human brain, and he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/there-is-a-limit-to-the-work-that-can-be-got-out-of-a-human-body-or-a/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [No one ever became great except through many and great mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/no-one-ever-became-great-except-through-many-and-great-mistakes/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [The book must of necessity be put into a bookcase. And the bookcase must be housed. And the house must be kept. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-book-must-of-necessity-be-put-into-a-bookcase-and-the-bookcase/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [One example is worth a thousand arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/one-example-is-worth-a-thousand-arguments/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [The oppression of a majority is detestable and odious; the oppression of a minority is only by one degree less detestable and odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-oppression-of-a-majority-is-detestable-and-odious-the-oppression/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [ \[The British constitution\] presumes more boldly than any other the good sense and the good faith of those who work it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-british-constitution-presumes-more-boldly-than-any-other-the-good/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [All the wonders of the Greek civilization heaped together are less wonderful than the single book of Psalms. Greece had all that this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/all-the-wonders-of-the-greek-civilization-heaped-together-are-less/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/it-is-the-duty-of-government-to-make-it-difficult-for-people-to-do/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [Ireland, Ireland. That cloud in the west, that coming storm. That minister of God's retribution upon cruel, inveterate, and but half-atoned injustice! Ireland forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/ireland-ireland-that-cloud-in-the-west-that-coming-storm-that/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [Ireland, Ireland. That cloud in the west, that coming storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/ireland-ireland-that-cloud-in-the-west-that-coming-storm/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [To be engaged in opposing wrong affords...but a slender guarantee for being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/to-be-engaged-in-opposing-wrong-affords-but-a-slender-guarantee-for/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) [Explore all 70 William E. Gladstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) ## More Foreign policy quotes > [Britain should take pride in a foreign policy that reflects her values and responsibilities - but it must be grounded in the tangible interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-raab/britain-should-take-pride-in-a-foreign-policy-that-reflects-her/) [Dominic Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-raab/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [The people and the warmakers are two distinct groups. We must never say 'we' when discussing the US government's foreign policy. For one thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/the-people-and-the-warmakers-are-two-distinct-groups-we-must-never/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [21st-century foreign policy is going to be built on countries that can tackle transnational challenges together. Climate change and public health are the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/21st-century-foreign-policy-is-going-to-be-built-on-countries-that/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [The next president needs to know foreign policy and not learn it on the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-brownback/the-next-president-needs-to-know-foreign-policy-and-not-learn-it-on/) [Sam Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-brownback/) > [The reality is that our military presence on foreign soil is as offensive to the people that live there as armed Chinese troops would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-reality-is-that-our-military-presence-on-foreign-soil-is-as/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [We have come a long way in terms of foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-raffarin/we-have-come-a-long-way-in-terms-of-foreign-policy/) [Jean-Pierre Raffarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-raffarin/) > [ \[A\]n Obama presidency would be an amusing approximation of the Carter administration, complete with vaporous moralizing and foreign policy bungling. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-tyrrell/a-n-obama-presidency-would-be-an-amusing-approximation-of-the-carter/) [Emmett Tyrrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-tyrrell/) > [From a German point of view, German-American and European-American relations are a pillar of our foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/from-a-german-point-of-view-german-american-and-european-american/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [Trump's biggest success in his first term has been his foreign policy agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/trump-s-biggest-success-in-his-first-term-has-been-his-foreign-policy/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [I don't just denounce suicide bombers. I denounce those governments which use indiscriminate slaughter to advance their foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/i-don-t-just-denounce-suicide-bombers-i-denounce-those-governments/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions and trillions of dollars, and unleashed ISIS across the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-hillary-clinton-foreign-policy-has-cost-america-thousands-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Hamilton has often been extolled as the exponent of a rational foreign policy based on cool calculations of national self-interest. But his April 14…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/hamilton-has-often-been-extolled-as-the-exponent-of-a-rational/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [•“I don’t have the foggiest idea about what I think about international, foreign policy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-don-t-have-the-foggiest-idea-about-what-i-think-about-international/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 1,055 Foreign policy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William E. Gladstone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-policy-good-government-at-home/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Foreign policy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-policy-good-government-at-home/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd1/william-e-gladstone-9842_foreign-policy_here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-po_3026240.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.” — William E. Gladstone", "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 E. Gladstone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Here is my first principle of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-policy-good-government-at-home/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/here-is-my-first-principle-of-foreign-policy-good-government-at-home/#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 } } ] } ```