The government you elect is the government you deserve.
Thomas Jefferson
Government, Accountability, Democracy, Responsibility, Civic Engagement
Thomas Jefferson’s Quotes On Topics
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More Thomas Jefferson Quotes
“One never really knows how much one has been touched by a place until one has left it.” Thomas Jefferson
Nostalgia, Reflection, Place, Experience, Emotion
Thomas Jefferson Nostalgia, Reflection, Place, Experience, Emotion“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.” Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Inconvenience, Choice, Freedom, Personal Values
Thomas Jefferson Liberty, Inconvenience, Choice, Freedom, Personal Values“Men as well as rivers grow crooked by following the path of least resistance.” Thomas Jefferson
Resistance, Growth, Change, Life Lessons, Human Nature
Thomas Jefferson Resistance, Growth, Change, Life Lessons, Human Nature“Lethargy is the forerunner of death to the public liberty.” Thomas Jefferson
Lethargy, Liberty, Vigilance, Society, Warning
Thomas Jefferson Lethargy, Liberty, Vigilance, Society, Warning“We are not to expect to be translated from despotism to liberty in a featherbed.” Thomas Jefferson
Despotism, Liberty, Transition, Struggle, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Despotism, Liberty, Transition, Struggle, Political Philosophy“The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits.” Thomas Jefferson
Policy, Freedom, Governance, Independence, Individualism
Thomas Jefferson Policy, Freedom, Governance, Independence, Individualism“History teaches the young the virtues of freedom. By apprising them of the past it will enable them to judge the future.” Thomas Jefferson
History, Freedom, Education, Youth, Future Planning
Thomas Jefferson History, Freedom, Education, Youth, Future Planning“I find friendship to be like wine, raw when new, ripened with age, the true old man’s milk and restorative cordial.” Thomas Jefferson
Friendship, Growth, Maturity, Relationships, Metaphor
Thomas Jefferson Friendship, Growth, Maturity, Relationships, Metaphor“Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.” Thomas Jefferson
Commerce, Patriotism, Profit, National Loyalty, Economic Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Commerce, Patriotism, Profit, National Loyalty, Economic Philosophy“In a virtuous government, and more especially in times like these, public offices are what they should be – burdens to those appointed to them which it would be wrong to decline, though foreseen to bring them intense labor and great private loss.” Thomas Jefferson
Government, Public Service, Virtue, Sacrifice, Political Responsibility
Thomas Jefferson Government, Public Service, Virtue, Sacrifice, Political Responsibility“Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.” Thomas Jefferson
Citizenship, Military, Freedom, Civic Duty, Historical Perspective
Thomas Jefferson Citizenship, Military, Freedom, Civic Duty, Historical Perspective“History has informed us that bodies of men as well as individuals are susceptible of the spirit of tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson
Tyranny, History, Society, Human Nature, Power Dynamics
Thomas Jefferson Tyranny, History, Society, Human Nature, Power Dynamics“Every man has two countries: his own and France.” Thomas Jefferson
Patriotism, France, Identity, Cultural Affinity, National Sentiment
Thomas Jefferson Patriotism, France, Identity, Cultural Affinity, National Sentiment“Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry...” Thomas Jefferson
Civil Rights, Religion, Independence, Opinions, Equality
Thomas Jefferson Civil Rights, Religion, Independence, Opinions, Equality“Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.” Thomas Jefferson
Commerce, Neutrality, Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Economic Independence
Thomas Jefferson Commerce, Neutrality, Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Economic Independence“In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.” Thomas Jefferson
Politeness, Virtue, Behavior, Social Norms, Character Development
Thomas Jefferson Politeness, Virtue, Behavior, Social Norms, Character Development“If the obstacles of bigotry and priestcraft can be surmounted, we may hope that common sense will suffice to do everything else.” Thomas Jefferson
Bigotry, Priestcraft, Progress, Common Sense, Social Change
Thomas Jefferson Bigotry, Priestcraft, Progress, Common Sense, Social Change“The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best, that the states are independent as to everything within themselves and united as to everything respecting foreign nations. Let the general government be reduced to foreign concerns only.” Thomas Jefferson
Constitution, States, Independence, Government, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Constitution, States, Independence, Government, Political Philosophy“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” Thomas Jefferson
Justice, God, Country, Morality, Social Commentary
Thomas Jefferson Justice, God, Country, Morality, Social Commentary“It is an axiom in my mind, that our liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that too of the people with a certain degree of instruction. This it is the business of the State to effect, and on a general plan.” Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Education, People, Safety, Governance
Thomas Jefferson Liberty, Education, People, Safety, Governance