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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: Gandhi, Introduction to his Autobiography (1927): '...morality is the basis of things, and that truth is the substance of all morality.' This candidate is a Spanish translation.
About this quote
It stacks two claims. Morality is what holds conduct together, and truth is what holds morality together, so pull honesty out and the whole ethical structure loses its footing. In practice a rule you can't state truthfully isn't really a moral rule at all.
When to use it
- A shopkeeper whose fair pricing holds up because the ledger behind it is honest, not doctored.
- A student who won't call cheating 'just borrowing,' since the softer word is a lie the rule can't survive.
- A manager who admits a layoff is about money, not 'restructuring,' so the decision can at least be judged fairly.