“Breach of promise is a base surrender of truth”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Widely attributed to An Autobiography (The Story of My Experiments with Truth), M.K. Gandhi; exact chapter/page not confirmed.
About this quote
Your word given is truth in a practical form, so walking it back isn't a minor lapse — it quietly trades honesty for convenience. Treating every promise as binding, even the small ones, is what keeps your word worth anything at all.
When to use it
- A contractor eats the loss to finish at the price he quoted rather than break the deal.
- A friend who said she'd show up drives across town in bad weather because she gave her word.
- A manager honors a raise he promised verbally, treating the handshake as binding as any contract.