“Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.”
Explanation
Pascal declares that justice and power must not exist in isolation, but must be unified to serve one another. If justice lacks power, it is ineffectual and ignored; if power lacks justice, it becomes oppressive and arbitrary. The ideal, therefore, is a system in which the morally right is also enforceable, and the enforceable is guided by moral rightness. Only by binding these two together can a society be both orderly and ethical.
This quote reflects a major concern in Pensées, where Pascal frequently explores the imperfections and contradictions of human institutions. He observes that often, might determines what is considered just, rather than the other way around. He urges a reversal: power must be subject to justice, not justice to power. However, because of human corruption and self-interest, achieving this balance is rare and fragile—yet it remains an ideal worth pursuing.
In modern governance, legal systems, and global politics, Pascal’s insight remains critically relevant. Laws that are just but unenforced become meaningless, while unchecked authority breeds injustice. His quote serves as a reminder that a truly just society is one in which moral principles and real-world authority are aligned, where law is both fair and effective, and force is constrained by ethics. Without this union, both justice and power fall into failure.
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