Country Quote by Benjamin Rush
“Let our pupil be taught that he does not belong to himself, but that he is public property. Let him be taught to love his family, but let him be taught at the same time that he must forsake and even forget them when the welfare of his country requires it.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Thoughts on the Mode of Education, 1786
Emphasizes civic duty over personal ties, urging sacrifice for the greater good.
In simple terms: Duty to country outweighs personal loyalty.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize public welfare over self‑interest.
Themes
civic duty
self‑sacrifice
nationalism
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
ethical
political
When to use this quote
- military service
- public office
- community leadership
- family decisions
Key Concepts
political philosophy
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance personal love with civic responsibility?
- When is it justified to sacrifice family for nation?
A Different Perspective
May neglect personal relationships and cause emotional strain.
![“Let our pupil be taught that he does not belong to himself, but that he is public property ... He must be taught to amass wealth, but it must be only to increase his power of contributing to the wants and demands of the state... [Education] can be done effectually only by the interference and aid…” quote by Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e0d/benjamin-rush-9439_aids_let-our-pupil-be-taught-that-he-does-not_1520510.jpg)
![“[W]here there is no law, there is no liberty; and nothing deserves the name of law but that which is certain and universal in its operation upon all the members of the community.” quote by Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b9e/benjamin-rush-9439_certain_w-here-there-is-no-law-there-is-no-liber_240226.jpg)
![“The business of education has lay[ed] the foundations for nurseries of wise and good men, to adapt our modes of teaching to the peculiar form of our government . . . . He must be taught to love his fellow creatures in every part of the world, but he must cherish with a more intense and peculiar…” quote by Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e9a/benjamin-rush-9439_affection_the-business-of-education-has-lay-ed-the_334284.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
