Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the forms of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Jefferson challenges the idea that people cannot govern themselves, arguing that if they can't rule themselves, they certainly cannot be trusted by kings.
- In plain terms
- If people cannot manage themselves, who can they trust to govern them?
- What can you take from it?
- Self-governance is a prerequisite for trusting others with power.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who should govern society?
- Is self-rule always possible?
Another view
Some argue expertise is needed for complex governance.
More from Thomas Jefferson
But would the honest patriot, in the full tide of successful experiment, abandon a government which has so far kept us free and firm, on the theocratic and vis…
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Permalink to quote #157 All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonab…
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