Letter to william smith [january 9, 1795] in 1980 the new york times language columnist william safire wrote about the quote and challenged the attribution to burke given in bartlett’s familiar quotations (14th). The quote by edmund burke, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, carries a profound meaning and highlights the importance of taking action against injustice and wrongdoing. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” It’s a quote routinely attributed to Edmund Burke. But it turns out falsely so. Apparently, he never uttered these words. At best, the essence of the quote can be traced back to the utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill, who delivered an 1867 inaugural.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
“the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” the alleged quote reads.
We can all tell stories of people who were lured into an addiction, a dangerous investment, a bad relationship, an abortion, or an infidelity
We see the warning signs We even mention it to our other friends. An image shared on facebook claimed that philosopher edmund burke once said, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” verdict False while this maxim has been attributed to burke since at least the 1920s, it appears nowhere in his written works and is widely considered spurious
