Thomas Jefferson Quotes

It would be a dangerous delusion were a confidence in the men of our choice to silence our fears for the safety of our rights... Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism. Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence. It is jealousy and not confidence which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power... Our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which, and no further, our confidence may go... In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution

Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism. Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence.

Laws are made to protect the trusting as well as the suspicious.

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

Our authorities leave us no doubt that the trust lodged with the oligarchy was sometimes abused, but it certainly ought not to be regarded as a mere usurpation or engine of tyranny.

A woman is the only thing I am afraid of that I know will not hurt me.

In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.

There can be no security where there is fear.

People want security in this insecure world.

Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.

Tyranny's disease, to trust no friends

We'll have nothing to fear.

Put not your trust and confidence in kings and princes.

The people are so secure under the sultan's reign that no one fears his agents.

When the people are sheep, the government is always a wolf.

When the population does not feel secure, it is very difficult to win their hearts and minds.

The government assures the people that they are in danger from the invasion of another nation, or from foes in their midst, and that the only way to escape this danger is by the slavish obedience of the people to their government. This fact is seen most prominently during revolutions and dictatorships, but it exists always and everywhere that the power of the government exists.

Fear is in almost all cases a wretched instrument of government, and ought in particular never to be employed against any order of men who have the smallest pretensions to independency.

The people are frightened. When they are frightened, they are much more willing to give us their liberties. But giving up their liberties won't make them safer, that's the real sad part of it.

Soviet repression taught the Russians that hope and trust are dangerous, inimical, and treacherous

Two forms of government are favorable to the prevalence of falsehood and deceit. Under a Despotism, men are false, treacherous, and deceitful through fear, like slaves dreading the lash. Under a Democracy they are so as a means of attaining popularity and office, and because of the greed for wealth.

Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty.

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

A dictatorship breeds distrust.