"All that is necessary for evil to triumph,
is for good men to do nothing."
by:
Edmund Burke
(1729-1797) Irish-born British statesman, parliamentary orator, and political thinker
Source:
Attributed, not found in any of his writings, originally mistakenly appeared in Barlett's Familiar Quotations
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Reader comments about this quote:
 -- David, Sydney 
 -- Anonymous 
This is why nothing will change the course our country is taking-- the majority of us here are reduced to sleeping giants-- we give our good ideas to liberty quotes, and then live the same mundane and complacent lives we had before. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Apparently so.
 -- Logan, Memphis, TN		 
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI 
Having just visited Ireland, this strikes me as not only a well said hoped for truism, but one that is very Irish.
 -- EGL, LA		 
How true...and HERE is the delimma our nation faces...."Woe to those who call good evil and evil good." For indeed, there are those who do precisely that....so much so that they have embraced the demonic enemy who will surely kill them first.
 -- Michael, Houston, TX		 
Indeed. It is each individual that is responsible for defending evil -- one person at a time.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Too bad we define evil so differently, eh?
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US		 
Failing to confront evil is a sin of omission. Everybody pays for their sins sooner or later.
 -- Ken, Allyn, WA		 
Reston... Thank you for your response. Just for my information, in the context of the conversation. how would YOU define evil...? True E Archer...as far as it goes. Sometimes, we act as groups against a group evil....ie the free world against communisism or nazism. And sometimes, the evil comes upon you and you must defend yourself against it.
 -- Michael, Houston		 
i think that its simply human nature to just do nothing when there is a problem. People tend to rationalize by pretending everything is okay, but truth be told, they don't want to admit there's a problem, because its easier to just sit back and go about your life than it is to get involved and make a difference.
 -- maddie, birmingham AL		 
how hard it is to be so noble, wish that i had more strength to make a difference
 -- terance rex skelton, brisbane		 
 -- Anonymous 
This quote is wrongly attributed. Bartlett's confessed to publishing the quote from a letter of Burke's that never actually contained these words.
 -- Carrie, Edmonton		 
The dichotomy of war is that it is simultaneously the most heinous and the most honorable human endeavour. We rightfully spurn the Hitlers, the Pol Pots, and the Saddams of the world, those who make war for power and profit. On the other hand, those who fight wars in order to defend the defenseless, restore the peace, and establish justice, they are among those whom the apostle John was talking about when he wrote that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend.
 -- P. Reidy, Fl.		 
 
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