Thomas Jefferson Quotes

Rulers come and go; governments end and forms of government change; but sovereignty survives.

In no form of government is there an absolute identity of interest between the people and their rulers

In every sort of politics, in history, it has its own problems, its leaders, its own opposition.

Who so taketh in hand to frame any state or government ought to presuppose that all men are evil, and at occasions will show themselves so to be.

It is not good to have a rule of many.

There never was that government called a republic, which was not ultimately ruled by a single will, and, therefore, (however bold may seem the paradox,) virtually and substantially a monarchy.

What is government itself but the great reflection of human nature.

You are afraid of the one, I, of the few.... You are apprehensive of monarchy, I, of aristocracy.

The good government of one man is the bad government of another

Politics are the divine science, after all.

Peoples nurtured on freedom and self-government judge any other form of polity to be deformed and unnatural. Those who are used to monarchy do the same .

If you don't know the difference between dictatorship and leadership then you got to go back to a fifth grade civics class.

Politics is activity in relation to power.

Democracy is a good client.

British chancellor is telling the rest of Europe it must abandon democracy. It's appalling.

Politics is the art of controlling your environment.

When mankind first saw the necessity of government, it is probable that many had conceived the desire of ruling.

Government, in the last analysis, is organized opinion. Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government.

The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries.

A demagogue is a person with whom we disagree as to which gang should mismanage the country.

Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they can to keep it.

There is a circus around politics. But if you think it is a game, then you forget what the purpose of politics actually is.

You may not be thinking about politics, but politics is thinking about you.

I’m the constitution around here now.

Remember that this White house is populated with … control freaks.