--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government is, or ought to be, instituted…" description: "\"Government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit and security of the people, nation or community; whenever any government shall be foun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/george-mason-8435_benefits_government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted_746463.jpg" --- # Government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common… ![“Government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit and security of the people, nation or community; whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, indefeasible right, to reform, alter, or…” quote by George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/george-mason-8435_benefits_government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted_746463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/george-mason-8435_benefits_government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted_746463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/george-mason-8435_benefits_government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted_746463.jpg) > “Government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit and security of the people, nation or community; whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, indefeasible right, to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public Weal.” [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People have an inherent right to change or overthrow a government that fails to serve their common good and security. **In simple terms:** People can reform or replace bad governments. Key Takeaway Stand up for collective welfare. Themes political rights government accountability revolution Mood cautionary inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - activism - community organizing Key Concepts social contract civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - What conditions justify reform? - How can reforms be pursued peacefully? A Different Perspective Reforming can be destabilizing and may fail. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-government-719304/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-ought-483779/) [Government Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-shall-482204/) [Inadequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inadequate/) [Instituted Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instituted-common-1266757/) [Judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judged/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purposes Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purposes-majority-2712887/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) ## Related quotes > [Government is, or ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community... when any government shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted-for-the-common-benefit-2/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/government-is-instituted-for-the-common-good-for-the-protection/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [What we call a democratic society might be defined for certain purposes as one in which the majority is always prepared to put down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/what-we-call-a-democratic-society-might-be-defined-for-certain/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [In a justly organized community, however, government exists to secure the right to life and the other human rights that follow from that primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/in-a-justly-organized-community-however-government-exists-to-secure/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/government-is-instituted-for-the-common-good-for-the-protection-2/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Government is, or ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community; of all the various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/government-is-or-ought-to-be-instituted-for-the-common-benefit/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [The Democrats have come right out and said it: the power of the central government shall have no limits at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-love/the-democrats-have-come-right-out-and-said-it-the-power-of-the/) [Mia Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-love/) > [If it be said that the consent of the strongest party in a nation, is all that is necessary to justify the establishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-it-be-said-that-the-consent-of-the-strongest-party-in-a-nation-is/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Thou camest out of thy mother's belly without government, thou hast liv'd hitherto without government, and thou mayst be carried to thy long home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/thou-camest-out-of-thy-mother-s-belly-without-government-thou-hast/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/so-confident-am-i-in-the-intentions-as-well-as-wisdom-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Power comes from the muzzle of a gun, those that have the guns have the power, those that have the power dictate what type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/power-comes-from-the-muzzle-of-a-gun-those-that-have-the-guns-have/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall-restrain-men-from-injuring/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Public opinion: May it always perform one of its appropriate offices, by teaching the public functionaries of the State and of the Federal Government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/public-opinion-may-it-always-perform-one-of-its-appropriate-offices/) [James K. Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/) > [It is (our) duty . . . to pay especial attention to the principles of government which shall be inculcated therein (at the University),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-our-duty-to-pay-especial-attention-to-the-principles-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“If we accept the premise that human rights are granted by by government, then we must be willing to accept the corollary that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/if-we-accept-the-premise-that-human-rights-are-granted-by-by/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) ## More by George Mason > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [“To disarm the people--that was the best and most effective way to enslave them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/to-disarm-the-people-that-was-the-best-and-most-effective-way-to/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [ I charge \[my sons\] never to let the motives of private interest or ambition to influence them to betray, nor the terrors of poverty… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/i-charge-my-sons-never-to-let-the-motives-of-private-interest-or/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [That general warrants, whereby an officer or messenger may be commanded to search suspected places without evidence of a fact committed, or to seize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/that-general-warrants-whereby-an-officer-or-messenger-may-be/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [Who are the militia, if they be not the people, of this country...? 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