---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The public must and will be served."
description: "\"The public must and will be served.\" — William Penn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png"
---

#  The public must and will be served.

![“The public must and will be served.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png)

> “The public must and will be served.”

[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.

Society must be served by those in authority, and they are obligated to do so.

**In simple terms:** Leaders must serve the public.

Key Takeaway

Demand accountability from leaders.

Themes

governance public service ethics

Mood

serious determined

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- government policies
- community projects
- nonprofit work

Key Concepts

political theory social contract

Questions to Reflect On

- How can citizens ensure service?
- What mechanisms enforce accountability?

A Different Perspective

Power can be abused despite intentions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public/) [Public Served](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-served-2960297/) [Served](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/served/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/)

## Related quotes

> [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/)

[Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/)

> [Everyone's heard the same joke a million times and knows the setups. They are tired of the mass-marketed entertainment served on the networks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/everyone-s-heard-the-same-joke-a-million-times-and-knows-the-setups/)

[Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/)

> [How is justice served if the victim and the accused are working together to make it all go away? Somebody please explain that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/how-is-justice-served-if-the-victim-and-the-accused-are-working/)

[Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/)

> [In my industry, everybody wants to know everything about you, and it's just dumb. I think the only way of maintaining some of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-richardson/in-my-industry-everybody-wants-to-know-everything-about-you-and-it-s/)

[Miranda Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-richardson/)

> [He that will be served must bee patient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-will-be-served-must-bee-patient/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [The obsessive focus on a college degree has served neither taxpayers nor students well. Only 35 percent of students starting a four-year degree program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/the-obsessive-focus-on-a-college-degree-has-served-neither-taxpayers/)

[Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/)

> [The acting served as an outlet for my emotions for some time because I was doing it under the guise of someone else. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-wagner/the-acting-served-as-an-outlet-for-my-emotions-for-some-time-because/)

[Lindsay Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-wagner/)

> [Ever since the Second World War, television signals (as well as FM radio and radar) have served as Homo sapiens' emissaries into deep space.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/ever-since-the-second-world-war-television-signals-as-well-as-fm/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [“I grew up having everything served to be on a plate and now suddenly I'm expected to be the one serving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-browne/i-grew-up-having-everything-served-to-be-on-a-plate-and-now-suddenly/)

[Darby Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-browne/)

> [In the 360-degree battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, women have served honorably and fought valiantly. Yet there is a key difference between being in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/in-the-360-degree-battlefields-of-iraq-and-afghanistan-women-have/)

[Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/)

> [There was a rivalry - and some pie-throwing. But that was probably because Gawker and Radar had more in common than they wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/there-was-a-rivalry-and-some-pie-throwing-but-that-was-probably/)

[Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/)

> [Things that I consider bad qualities, I always try and figure out where they are coming from. I don't consider ambition to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/things-that-i-consider-bad-qualities-i-always-try-and-figure-out/)

[Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/)

> [I paid my dues. I have crawled to gigs. I have served people coffee. I worked hard selling all these records out the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-june/i-paid-my-dues-i-have-crawled-to-gigs-i-have-served-people-coffee-i/)

[Valerie June](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-june/)

> [We're the McDonalds of rock. Were always there to satisfy, and a billion served.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/we-re-the-mcdonalds-of-rock-were-always-there-to-satisfy-and-a/)

[Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/)

> [I leave to the militarists the difficult task of trying to explain to us how these wars have served to shape character or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-ducommun/i-leave-to-the-militarists-the-difficult-task-of-trying-to-explain-to/)

[Elie Ducommun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-ducommun/)

## 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 Funny quotes

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers &amp; think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/)

[Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/)

> [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/)

[Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

[Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/)

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

[Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/)

[Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The public must and will be served.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Penn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/the-public-must-and-will-be-served/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Funny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/the-public-must-and-will-be-served/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/william-penn-1104_funny_the-public-must-and-will-be-served-11110_1111015.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The public must and will be served.” — 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": "The public must and will be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/the-public-must-and-will-be-served/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/the-public-must-and-will-be-served/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
