--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism…" description: "\"[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png" --- # \[F\]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy… ![“[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. [T]herefore education should teach the precepts of…” quote by Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png) > “\[F\]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. \[T\]herefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God.” [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates that moral foundations for free societies stem from religious teachings, urging education to incorporate religious morals and duties to God. **In simple terms:** Religion provides moral base for liberty; education should teach it. Key Takeaway Integrate moral instruction rooted in religion. Themes politics morality religion Mood philosophical controversial Type opinion ethical discourse When to use this quote - public policy - school curricula - citizen responsibility - government legitimacy Key Concepts civic education ethical foundations Questions to Reflect On - Is moral education effective without religious context? - How can diverse beliefs be accommodated in civic teaching? A Different Perspective Secular societies may view this as infringing on religious freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Despotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despotism/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Free government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [Religion is the only solid Base of morals and that Morals are the only possible Support of free governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/religion-is-the-only-solid-base-of-morals-and-that-morals-are-the/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [He asks how the evil is to be remedied. I tell him that there seems to be little chance for avoiding the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/he-asks-how-the-evil-is-to-be-remedied-i-tell-him-that-there-seems-to/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [The origin of all revolutions and corruption, and the spur and source of all base morals are just two sayings: The First Saying: 'So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-nursi/the-origin-of-all-revolutions-and-corruption-and-the-spur-and-source/) [Said Nursi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-nursi/) > [I have sworn upon the altar of god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-sworn-upon-the-altar-of-god/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/without-morals-a-republic-cannot-subsist-any-length-of-time-they/) Charles Carroll of Carrollton > [History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-i-believe-furnishes-no-example-of-a-priest-ridden-people-4/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-opposed-to-any-form-of-tyranny-over-the-mind-of-man/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Can a free government possibly exist with the Roman Catholic religion?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/can-a-free-government-possibly-exist-with-the-roman-catholic-religion/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Before being humans with morals, people are mostly animals, fighting for domination and survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/before-being-humans-with-morals-people-are-mostly-animals-fighting/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [The Americans... are almost ignorant of the art of music, one of the most elevating, innocent and refining of human tastes, whose influence on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-americans-are-almost-ignorant-of-the-art-of-music-one-of-the-most/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [“Don't bring your morality around me. Morals is for people who's already got food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/don-t-bring-your-morality-around-me-morals-is-for-people-who-s/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [The period of Prohibition - called the noble experiment - brought on the greatest breakdown of law and order the United States has known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-period-of-prohibition-called-the-noble-experiment-brought-on-the/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [If you ever have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you,that's signal to change the people around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/if-you-ever-have-to-start-compromising-yourself-and-your-morals-for/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [I don't get it, I feel that I'm a very nice person. My father is a retired Christian Baptist Minister, my mother is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-get-it-i-feel-that-i-m-a-very-nice-person-my-father-is-a/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you, its probably time to change the people around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/when-you-have-to-start-compromising-yourself-and-your-morals-for-the/) Hemantsmarty ## More by Gouverneur Morris > [Religion is the only solid Base of morals and that Morals are the only possible Support of free governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/religion-is-the-only-solid-base-of-morals-and-that-morals-are-the/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/we-the-people-of-the-united-states-in-order-to-form-a-more-perfect/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [The education of young citizens ought to form them to good manners, to accustom them to labor, to inspire them with a love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/the-education-of-young-citizens-ought-to-form-them-to-good-manners-to/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [Give the vote to the people who have no property, and they will sell them to the rich, who will be able to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/give-the-vote-to-the-people-who-have-no-property-and-they-will-sell/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [“They (the French) have taken genius instead of reason for their guide, adopted experiment instead of experience, and wander in the dark because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/they-the-french-have-taken-genius-instead-of-reason-for-their-guide/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [ There must be religion. When that ligament is torn, society is disjointed and its members perish... \[T\]he most important of all lessons is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/there-must-be-religion-when-that-ligament-is-torn-society-is/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [If the people should elect, they will never fail to prefer some man of distinguished character, or services; some man, if he might so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/if-the-people-should-elect-they-will-never-fail-to-prefer-some-man-of/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [I anticipate the day when to command respect in the remotest regions it will be sufficient to say I am an American. Our flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/i-anticipate-the-day-when-to-command-respect-in-the-remotest-regions/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [ “\[On the eve of the French Revolution:\] It is impossible to imagine a more disorderly Assembly. They neither reason, examine, nor discuss. They clap… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/on-the-eve-of-the-french-revolution-it-is-impossible-to-imagine-a/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [Religion is the solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man toward God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/religion-is-the-solid-basis-of-good-morals-therefore-education-should/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [Each state enjoys sovereign power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/each-state-enjoys-sovereign-power/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [The reflection and experience of many years have led me to consider the holy writings not only as the most authentic and instructive in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/the-reflection-and-experience-of-many-years-have-led-me-to-consider/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [He asks how the evil is to be remedied. I tell him that there seems to be little chance for avoiding the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/he-asks-how-the-evil-is-to-be-remedied-i-tell-him-that-there-seems-to/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man toward God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/religion-is-the-only-solid-basis-of-good-morals-therefore-education/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [In adopting the republican form of government, I not only took it as a man does his wife, for better, for worse, but, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/in-adopting-the-republican-form-of-government-i-not-only-took-it-as-a/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) [Explore all 22 Gouverneur Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) ## More Anarchy quotes > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Perhaps it is this theory of all work and no play that has made the Marxist such a very dull boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/perhaps-it-is-this-theory-of-all-work-and-no-play-that-has-made-the/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Where you have no religion, you are sure to have no government, for as religion disappears, anarchy takes place and fixes a compleat Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-morgan/where-you-have-no-religion-you-are-sure-to-have-no-government-for-as/) [Daniel Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-morgan/) > [What a comfort it is to feel that amid the chaos and anarchy which sweep the surface, God is holding fast the foundations on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/what-a-comfort-it-is-to-feel-that-amid-the-chaos-and-anarchy-which/) [F.B. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 795 Anarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. [T]herefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gouverneur Morris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism-or-anarchy-the-only-ground-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism-or-anarchy-the-only-ground-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/gouverneur-morris-26042_anarchy_f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism_622195.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of…” — Gouverneur Morris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gouverneur Morris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism-or-anarchy-the-only-ground-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism-or-anarchy-the-only-ground-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```