“In this best of all possible worlds… all is for the best.”
This famous line is one of literature’s most misunderstood quotes. People often attribute it directly to the French Enlightenment writer Voltaire. However, he did not believe it. In fact, he wrote his brilliant satirical novella, Candide, or Optimism, to demolish this very idea. The phrase is not a declaration of hope. Instead, it is the central target of Voltaire’s sharp and unrelenting criticism.
To understand the quote, we must first meet the character who speaks it: Doctor Pangloss. He is the young protagonist Candide’s tutor. Pangloss is a devoted follower of the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. He relentlessly argues that everything happens for a necessary and benevolent reason. Consequently, he believes they live in the “best of all possible worlds.”
The Philosopher Behind the Phrase
Voltaire created Pangloss as a caricature of Leibniz’s philosophy of optimism. Source Leibniz, a prominent 17th-century philosopher, grappled with the problem of evil. He argued that an all-powerful and good God must have created the most perfect world possible. Therefore, any evil that exists must serve a greater good, even if we cannot perceive it.
Pangloss takes this complex theological argument and reduces it to a simplistic, absurd mantra. For example, he claims that noses were made to wear spectacles. Thus, we have spectacles. This kind of flawed logic, called a teleological argument, is what Pangloss uses to justify every event, no matter how horrific. Voltaire uses this oversimplification to expose the foolishness of such blind faith.
Voltaire’s Scathing Satire
Voltaire’s true intent was satirical. He wrote Candide in response to catastrophic events, particularly the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which killed tens of thousands. He was appalled by thinkers who suggested such tragedies were part of a divine, benevolent plan. Through Candide’s journey, Voltaire systematically dismantles Pangloss’s philosophy.
The naive Candide is expelled from his home and endures a relentless series of disasters. He is conscripted into an army, flogged, and witnesses brutal battles. Furthermore, he survives shipwrecks, the aforementioned earthquake, and the Spanish Inquisition. Throughout these horrors, Pangloss and Candide repeatedly conclude that it is all for the best. The stark contrast between their optimistic claims and the brutal reality of their suffering creates the novel’s dark humor and powerful critique.
The Enduring Lesson: Cultivate Your Garden
By the end of the novel, a weary and disillusioned Candide rejects Pangloss’s empty philosophizing. The story famously concludes with a simple, profound piece of advice. After hearing another one of Pangloss’s rambling justifications, Candide replies, “That is well said, but we must cultivate our garden.”
This final line encapsulates Voltaire’s true message. He argues against passive acceptance and abstract speculation. Instead of trying to justify suffering, we should focus on practical, tangible work. We can improve our own small corner of the world through direct action. It is a call for pragmatism over naive optimism.
The phrase “best of all possible worlds” is a powerful tool for satire. Voltaire masterfully uses it to critique the dangers of philosophical systems that ignore human suffering. The quote’s true meaning is not one of comfort, but a sharp reminder to face the world as it is and to work actively to make it better.