Skip to content

Politics Quotes by John Adams

98 Politics quotes by John Adams

All Politics quotes John Adams’s page

Adams says government should protect people’s safety, happiness, and prosperity, not serve private profit. He links a healthy republic to religion and virtue as its foundations. He also notes that power and land ownership need to stay balanced for society to stay fair.

Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

Fear is the foundation of most governments.

Image

Always stand on principle…even if you stand alone.

Image

Where annual elections end, there slavery begins

Image

Politics are a labyrinth without a clue.

Image

Politics are the divine science, after all,

Image

A government of laws, and not of men.

Image

People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.

Image

Can a free government possibly exist with the Roman Catholic religion?

Image

I am for making of terms annual, and for sending an entire new set every year.

Image

It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power

Image

As the happiness of the people is the sole end of government, so the consent of the people is the only foundation…

Image

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.

Image

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

Image

Nothing is more dreaded than the national government meddling with religion.

Image

The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.

Image

What other form of government, indeed, can so well deserve our esteem and love?

Image

As good government is an empire of laws, how shall your laws be made? In a large society, inhabiting an extensive country,…

Image

Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government…

Image

If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it better…

Image

There is something very unnatural and odious in a government a thousand leagues off. A whole government of our own choice, managed…

Image

Oh! the wisdom, the foresight and the hindsight and the rightsight and the leftsight, the northsight and the southsight, and the eastsight…

Image

There is but one element of government, and that is THE PEOPLE. From this element spring all governments. "For a nation to…

Image

The divine science of government is the science of social happiness, and the blessings of society depend entirely on the constitutions of…

Image

The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government is to secure the existence of the body politic; to protect it,…

Image

Thus, experience has ever shown, that education, as well as religion, aristocracy, as well as democracy and monarchy, are, singly, totally inadequate…

Image

The law no passion can disturb. 'Tis void of desire and fear, lust and anger. 'Tis mens sine affectu, written reason, retaining…

Image

The dignity and stability of government in all its branches, the morals of the people, and every blessing of society depend so…

Image

Suppose a nation, rich and poor, high and low, ten millions in number, all assembled together; not more than one or two…

Image

The good of the governed is the end, and rewards and punishments are the means, of all government. The government of the…

Image

Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor,…

Image

The form of government which you admire, when its principles are pure is admirable indeed. It is productive of every Thing which…

Image

If there is ever an amelioration of the condition of mankind, philosophers, theologians, legislators, politicians and moralists will find that the regulation…

Image

“It was the general opinion of ancient nations, that the divinity alone was adequate to the important office of giving laws to…

Image

“There is nothing in which mankind have been more unanimous [founding nations upon superstition]; yet nothing can be inferred from it more…

Image

“While our country remains untainted with the principles and manners which are now producing desolation in so many parts of the world;…

Image

I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman.

Image

The happiness of society is the end of government.

Image

In politics the middle way is none at all.

Image

“Can a free government possibly exist with the Roman Catholic religion? { Letter to Thomas Jefferson , May 19, 1821 }”

Image

Government has no Right to hurt a hair of the head of an Atheist, for his Opinions. Let him have a care…

Image

Other authors on Politics

More by John Adams

Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…

“Daughter! Get you an honest Man for a Husband, and keep him honest. No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent. Regard…

The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity

We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of…

“The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to…

But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The…

“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…

There are only two creatures of value on the face of the earth: those with the commitment, and those who require the commitment of…

I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind…

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or…

Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.

During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.

Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in…

The universal object and idol of men of letters is reputation

I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.