Georges BernanosGeorges Bernanos, (1888-1949) French author

Georges Bernanos Quote

“The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.”

Georges BernanosGeorges Bernanos
~ Georges Bernanos

The Last Essays of Georges Bernanos, 1955

Ratings and Comments


Anonymous
  • Reply
    Anonymous    1/23/08

    Great...but what does it mean?

    philip
    • Reply
    philip    8/1/10
    jim k, Austin, Tx

    As Stalin once said, If you're going to make an omelet you have to break some eggs. Meaning, Anonymous, If he had to starve millions of people to death, it was fine if he reached his "goals".

    watchman 13, USA

    Spain was truly a mess. Franco was not a good influence on the man. Nor his religious background I suspect.

    A.WOODS, Gloucester

    While Bernanos did initially support the Spanish Nationalist rebels he was quickly disenchanted with them once he observed them put their ideals into action:
    "My illusions on the enterprise of General Franco did not last long - two or three weeks - but while they lasted I conscientiously endeavoured to get over the disgust which some of the men and means inspired in me."
    - Bernanos, Georges. A Diary of My Times, London: Boriswood, 1938, p. 85.
    I suppose that ultimately the Spanish Fascists were a good influence on Bernanos because their behavior allowed him to see the them clearly.

    E Archer, NYC

    For the most part, any kind of social engineering is in fact 'the end' rather than the means to an end. We never actually get to the professed 'end' but we do end up being more and more controlled without end.

    Mike, Norwalk

    Torture is okay because you may get information you want. Voter fraud is okay because you get the desired puppet. The ends of compelled compliance, government licenses, victimless crimes, larceny with impunity (2nd plank of the communist manifesto, Social Security, police state confiscations) and NON-recognition of individual sovereignty, inalienable rights and liberty are the justified means of tyrannical enslavement.

    @

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