Region: General | Usage example: He argued the ends justify the means in his controversial strategy.

The ends justify the means

Meaning

Any actions are acceptable if the final result is good.

Used when discussing ethics of questionable decisions.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Philosophers from Machiavelli to modern writers debated the idea.

Philosophical treatises since the Renaissance cite variations of the idea.