Available Quote by Abraham Lincoln
“In using the strong hand, as now compelled to do, the government has a difficult duty to perform. At the very best, it will by turns do both too little and too much. It can properly have no motive of revenge, no purpose to punish merely for punishment's sake. While we must, by all available means, prevent the overthrow of the government, we should avoid planting and cultivating too many thorns in the bosom of society.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address on Government Duty, 1862
Government must balance restraint and action, avoiding both neglect and overreach, while preventing rebellion without creating societal harm.
In simple terms: Government must balance restraint and action.
Key Takeaway
Seek balanced governance that protects without oppressing.
Themes
governance
balance
justice
Mood
cautious
thoughtful
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- community leadership
- conflict resolution
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
political theory
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can leaders assess when to intervene?
- What safeguards prevent governmental overreach?
A Different Perspective
Balancing act is difficult; excess can cause unrest.
![“We need to change the system. We need to overthrow, not the government, as the authorities are always accusing the Communists 'of conspiring to teach [us] to do,' but this rotten, decadent, putrid industrial capitalist system which breeds such suffering in the whited sepulcher of New York.” quote by Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/231/dorothy-day-1629_accusing_we-need-to-change-the-system-we-need-to_1179426.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
