--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let men be good, and the Government…" description: "\"Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png" --- # Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad. ![“Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png) > “Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good people make good governments; moral character of citizens influences political outcomes. **In simple terms:** Virtuous citizens lead to virtuous governance. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal integrity. Themes ethics politics leadership Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - community building - public policy - education - activism Key Concepts social contract civic virtue Questions to Reflect On - How does personal morality affect civic responsibility? - Can a bad government be reformed by good citizens? A Different Perspective Assumes all governments are equally responsive to citizen virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [If men be good, government cannot be bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-men-be-good-government-cannot-be-bad/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them, and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/governments-like-clocks-go-from-the-motion-men-give-them-and-as/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“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/) > [The only good government... Is a bad one in a hell of a fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-only-good-government-is-a-bad-one-in-a-hell-of-a-fright/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [Let men say we be men of good government, being governed, as the sea is, by our noble and chaste mistress the moon, under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-men-say-we-be-men-of-good-government-being-governed-as-the-sea-is/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Crawling out of the flophouse I saw the mayor stealing my junk I doth protest, citizen's arrest Now my body's in his trunk Where's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/they-might-be-giants/crawling-out-of-the-flophouse-i-saw-the-mayor-stealing-my-junk-i-doth/) They Might Be Giants > [Anything that shifts power from the individual judgment of free citizens to government is a bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/anything-that-shifts-power-from-the-individual-judgment-of-free/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [Can I say one other thing that's very important? I'm indebted to Donald Trump for a long time, we've had this problem that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/can-i-say-one-other-thing-that-s-very-important-i-m-indebted-to/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war on liberty, and that the democratic government is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-all-government-is-evil-in-that-all-government-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The assumption that everyone in government is a bad actor imperils our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/the-assumption-that-everyone-in-government-is-a-bad-actor-imperils/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [I don't believe less in American government because of a bad politician. I don't believe less in the Catholic Church because of a criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lino-rulli/i-don-t-believe-less-in-american-government-because-of-a-bad/) [Lino Rulli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lino-rulli/) > [I think there were bad actors in the government and bad actors in the finance, mortgage, markets industries that need to be called out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-there-were-bad-actors-in-the-government-and-bad-actors-in-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Bad government is the natural product of rule by those who believe government is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/bad-government-is-the-natural-product-of-rule-by-those-who-believe/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [Ideology that believes government is bad, and that public institutions and places are not valuable, is as destructive as corporate greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-dill/ideology-that-believes-government-is-bad-and-that-public-institutions/) [Cynthia Dill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-dill/) > [Blaming the government for all the bad things that happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/blaming-the-government-for-all-the-bad-things-that-happen/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-men-be-good-and-the-government-cannot-be-bad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be good" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-men-be-good-and-the-government-cannot-be-bad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/william-penn-1104_be-good_let-men-be-good-and-the-government-canno_3121352.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let men be good, and the Government cannot be bad.” — William Penn", "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 Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let men be good, and the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-men-be-good-and-the-government-cannot-be-bad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-men-be-good-and-the-government-cannot-be-bad/#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 } } ] } ```