“There is no principle worth the name if it is not wholly good. I swear by non-violence because I know that it alone conduces to the highest good of mankind, not merely in the next world, but in this also. I object to violence because, when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary, the evil it does is permanent.”
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Source: Young India (21 May 1925), on non-violence and permanent versus temporary good.
About this quote
A method that helps in the short run while leaving lasting damage isn't really sound. Force can look effective because it produces a quick result, but the wound it opens outlives the win. A principle earns the name only when its good doesn't quietly rot later.
When to use it
- Winning an argument by shouting ends the discussion but leaves resentment that lingers for months.
- A boss who rules by fear gets fast obedience and a team that quietly stops caring.
- A company cuts a safety corner to ship on time and spends years repairing the fallout.