The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.
Thomas Jefferson
Government, Happiness, Human Life, Social Welfare, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson’s Quotes On Topics
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More Thomas Jefferson Quotes
“Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.” Thomas Jefferson
Peace, War, History, Cynical Observation, Human Nature
Thomas Jefferson Peace, War, History, Cynical Observation, Human Nature“My only fear is that I may live too long. This would be a subject of dread to me.” Thomas Jefferson
Aging, Fear, Mortality, Life Philosophy, Personal Reflection
Thomas Jefferson Aging, Fear, Mortality, Life Philosophy, Personal Reflection“No generation has a right to contract debts greater than can be paid off during the course of its own existence.” Thomas Jefferson
Debt, Responsibility, Generations, Economics, Governance
Thomas Jefferson Debt, Responsibility, Generations, Economics, Governance“We prefer war in all cases to tribute under any form and to any people whatever.” Thomas Jefferson
War, Tribute, Resistance, Sovereignty, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson War, Tribute, Resistance, Sovereignty, Political Philosophy“An acre of the best ground for hemp, is to be selected and sewn in hemp and be kept for a permanent hemp patch.” Thomas Jefferson
Agriculture, Hemp, Sustainability, Land Use, Practicality
Thomas Jefferson Agriculture, Hemp, Sustainability, Land Use, Practicality“Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.” Thomas Jefferson
Religion, Christianity, Criticism, Belief Systems, Religious Skepticism
Thomas Jefferson Religion, Christianity, Criticism, Belief Systems, Religious Skepticism“I find that he is happiest of whom the world says least, good or bad.” Thomas Jefferson
Happiness, Perspective, Reputation, Contentment, Human Nature
Thomas Jefferson Happiness, Perspective, Reputation, Contentment, Human Nature“I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Thomas Jefferson
Luck, Hard Work, Success, Motivation, Personal Growth
Thomas Jefferson Luck, Hard Work, Success, Motivation, Personal Growth“I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” Thomas Jefferson
Banking, Danger, Future, Economics, Financial Ethics
Thomas Jefferson Banking, Danger, Future, Economics, Financial Ethics“If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send one hundred and fifty lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, and talk by the hour?” Thomas Jefferson
Congress, Communication, Politics, Law, Critique
Thomas Jefferson Congress, Communication, Politics, Law, Critique“Nobody can acquire honor by doing what is wrong.” Thomas Jefferson
Honor, Integrity, Morality, Ethics, Reputation
Thomas Jefferson Honor, Integrity, Morality, Ethics, Reputation“Nothing can stop the person with the right mental attitude from achieving their goal; nothing on earth can help the person with the wrong mental attitude.” Thomas Jefferson
Attitude, Success, Motivation, Mindset, Personal Development
Thomas Jefferson Attitude, Success, Motivation, Mindset, Personal Development“It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.” Thomas Jefferson
Persuasion, Change, Patience, Human Nature, Improvement
Thomas Jefferson Persuasion, Change, Patience, Human Nature, Improvement“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” Thomas Jefferson
Government, Freedom, Labor, Frugality, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Government, Freedom, Labor, Frugality, Political Philosophy“How soon the labor of men would make a paradise of the earth were it not for misgovernment and a diversion of his energies to selfish interests.” Thomas Jefferson
Labor, Paradise, Society, Governance, Reflection
Thomas Jefferson Labor, Paradise, Society, Governance, Reflection“Truth between candid minds can never do harm.” Thomas Jefferson
Truth, Honesty, Communication, Dialogue, Understanding
Thomas Jefferson Truth, Honesty, Communication, Dialogue, Understanding“It is a melancholy truth, that a suppression of the press could not more completely deprive the nation of its benefits than is done by its abandoned prostitution to falsehood.” Thomas Jefferson
Press, Falsehood, Truth, Media Integrity, Information Manipulation
Thomas Jefferson Press, Falsehood, Truth, Media Integrity, Information Manipulation“A candle loses nothing when it lights another candle.” Thomas Jefferson
Generosity, Kindness, Sharing, Light, Community
Thomas Jefferson Generosity, Kindness, Sharing, Light, Community