The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Government should ensure safety but avoid interfering with the daily happiness and freedoms of citizens.
- In plain terms
- The job of government is to keep peace and stay out of people's way.
- What can you take from it?
- Governments should protect safety without interfering in personal life.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Where should the line between safety and freedom be drawn?
- When does protection become interference?
Another view
Some argue government intervention is needed to ensure true peace.
More from James A. Garfield
It is no part of the functions of the National Government to find employment for the people, and if we were to appropriate a hundred millions for his purpose, …
Permalink to quote #4 The ideal college is Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and a student on the other.
Permalink to quote #6 Nobody but radicals have ever accomplished anything in a great crisis.
Permalink to quote #3
Related quotes
Diejenige Regierung ist die beste, die sich uberflussing macht.
Wilhelm von HumboldtWilhelm von Humboldt quote #1 In the Islamic government all people have complete freedom to have any kind of opinion.
Ruhollah KhomeiniRuhollah Khomeini quote #3 The world has nothing to fear from military ambition in our Government.
James K. PolkJames K. Polk quote #4