Thomas Jefferson Quote

[discocrisco01]

Do you agree with this quote

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves." –Thomas Jefferson

[DontTreadOnMe]

1. How many slaves did Jefferson own?

just sayin'...

[mzteris]

2. how about this one, instead?

Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor.

Thomas Jefferson

[Overseas]

7. much better.

[bertman]

26. I'm pretty sure that Mr. Jefferson was wrong about that, though the sentiment is right on.

[Mass]

3. For private issues, I would agree, but not in economical issues or civil rights

[Libertas1776]

4. Ditto

[mzteris]

5. ooo ooo ooo - this one if one of my faves!

I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition (Christianity) one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology.

Thomas Jefferson

[mzteris]

6. more on topic -

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country. Thomas Jefferson

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Here's a few more Jefferson quotes:

Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.

But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.

I concur with you strictly in your opinion of the comparative merits of atheism and demonism, and really see nothing but the latter in the being worshipped by many who think themselves Christians.

May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God.

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.

They believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.

[Pyrzqxgl]

9. Maybe at a time like the one Jefferson lived in.

Without all those things like easy transportation, & communication
it was better to let folks fend for themselves more. Even then
though it was pretty easy for simple discipline to turn into patty
tyrant or even dictator. It would be even easier today for a private
army (Blackwater?) to spring up in the name of self discipline and
tell us how to live our lives.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. So would you apply that logic to government telling women to remain pregnant against their will?

Just curious.

[Quixote1818]

11. Jefferson was pushing for public schools and all kids of public stuff. nt

[SOS]

12. How does a citizen "discipline himself" to pay a $100,000 medical bill?

:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. And when the people don't discipline themselves, what do we do?

[Selatius]

14. Corporations are considered "legal persons." They do not discipline themselves...at all.

Strong regulation is required. I'm sorry, but even Thomas Jefferson would probably agree that corporate power should forever be chained by regulation.

[SOS]

15. In Christianity, Jefferson found "not one redeeming feature"

Don't see that one on teabagger signs!

[The Magistrate]

16. Not Particularly, Sir

If examined, its meaning is actual none too clear. Is the people disciplining themselves a pre-requisite for government doing less, or is it a result of government doing less? If the latter, can this be stated with certainty, that the people will in fact discipline themselves? How is this 'discipline' of the people themselves to be exercised, what form does it take? Is it in fact an appeal to local government of a town or county, as opposed to that of a state or Union, or an appeal to popular pressure exerted against individuals by means ranging from ostracization to mob? If it is in fact the expression of either an expectation or a hope that individuals will uniformly display a high degree of self-discipline in their actions, sufficient that they may form a large society without much in the way of government, and produce and maintain a just order, there is very little warrant for the expectation, and the hope will be disappointed.

Mr. Jefferson, very often, sounds a good deal better on first hearing than after a few minutes consecutive thought....

[Bluerthanblue]

17. um... this quote is attributed to Jefferson, but not found in any of his writings-

at least according to my understanding.

:shrug:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

18. Googling reveals it's often attributed to Henry David Thoreau

but I haven't yet found anything debunking Jefferson as the source, nor a citation of any specific work of Thoreau's.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

19. Okay, here's a source.

The OP has the quote wrong, as well as the source of it.

Here's what the Jefferson Encyclopedia website says:

Although the saying "That government is best which governs least" is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, we have not found this particular statement in his writings.

Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience (1849) is often identified as the real source of this quotation, but there may be an even earlier source. Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations points to The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, whose editor wrote in 1837, "The best government is that which governs least."

Although the ideas expressed in this quotation may be in line with Jefferson's opinions, the exact phrasing is almost certainly not Jefferson's.

http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/That_government_is_best_which_governs_least

[The Magistrate]

20. Excellent, Honey....

The account of the origin is new to me, and much appreciated!

[Bluerthanblue]

23. hey- we both found the same origin- different sites-

:hi:

Thanks!

[HughMoran]

25. Interesting that this particular poster had this quote wrong

Republicans do this sort of this all the time...

[Bluerthanblue]

22. this quote was amended by Walter Lippmann-

to say:

"It is perfectly true that the government is best which governs least. It is equally true that the government is best which provides most."

In Thoreau's work it appears in the very beginning of "Civil Disobedience"-

The quote in the OP is also often ascribed to "Thomas Paine" - but with no citation that I can find in his many writings.

but this is the best answer I've found yet-

"John L. O’Sullivan, the journalist and diplomat who also coined the phrase “manifest destiny,” is quoted by The Yale Book of Quotations as writing “The best government is that which governs least” in the United States Magazine and Democratic Review, October 1, 1837. Earlier, Jonathan Shipley wrote in 1773 that “The true art of government consist in not governing too much.”

from this site:

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/quotes-uncovered-who-wanted-the-least-government/

[ThoughtCriminal]

21. You are correct

http://books.google.com/books?id=NCOEYJ0q-DUC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=jefferson+misquotes+least+government+best&source=bl&ots=hAPwSyyWHz&sig=gEL1Bi4kEJgxYwCoQfhrUVEUVk0&hl=en&ei=Am61SrmKIYzgswO6lK3SDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

[Bluerthanblue]

24. and thanks to you-

that looks like a cool book.

:hi: