--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But there is one way in this country in…" description: "\"“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/harper-lee-451_atticus-finch_but-there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in_1121212.png" --- # But there is one way in this country in which all men are… ![“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution gentlemen, is a court. It can…” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/harper-lee-451_atticus-finch_but-there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in_1121212.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/harper-lee-451_atticus-finch_but-there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in_1121212.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/harper-lee-451_atticus-finch_but-there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in_1121212.png) > ““But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest JP court in the land, or this honourable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal”” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The judicial system treats everyone the same under the law, regardless of wealth or status, though it is imperfect. **In simple terms:** Courts make all people equal before the law. Key Takeaway Respect and uphold the law equally. Themes justice equality law society Mood reflective serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights cases - small claims disputes - family law matters - public policy debates Key Concepts legalism social leveling institutional fairness Questions to Reflect On - How does the law ensure fairness for all? - What are the limits of legal equality? A Different Perspective Courts can be biased or unevenly applied, limiting true equality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atticus-finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus-finch-2/) [Courts Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courts-men-3034739/) [Created Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-equal/) [Equal College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-college-3034740/) [Equal Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-human-1458826/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Man Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-equal-259263/) [Stupid Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-man/) ## Related quotes > [“We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe- some people are smarter than others, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/we-know-all-men-are-not-created-equal-in-the-sense-some-people-would-2/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [There is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in-which-all-men-are-created-equal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/but-there-is-one-way-in-this-country-in-which-all-men-are-created-2/) [Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/) > [“One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/one-more-thing-gentlemen-before-i-quit-thomas-jefferson-once-said-2/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/one-more-thing-gentlemen-before-i-quit-thomas-jefferson-once-said-3/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/our-courts-have-their-faults-as-does-any-human-institution-but-in/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real-courage-is-instead-of-getting-the-idea/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“…I wanted you to see something about her-- I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real-3/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“And for goodness' sake put some of the county back where it belongs, the soil erosion's bad enough as it is." Dill stared at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/and-for-goodness-sake-put-some-of-the-county-back-where-it-belongs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“She was the bravest person I ever knew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/she-was-the-bravest-person-i-ever-knew/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/courage-is-when-you-know-you-re-licked-before-you-begin-but-you-begin/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“It is honor that makes commerce possible, dear brother. And the law courts, when men lack it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-cline/it-is-honor-that-makes-commerce-possible-dear-brother-and-the-law/) [Edward Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-cline/) > [“I have been around long enough to discount most superstitions for what they are: I was around when many of them began to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/i-have-been-around-long-enough-to-discount-most-superstitions-for/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“(Brin) 'How good is your lawyer, on a scale of Atticus Finch to Franklin and Bash?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-henry/brin-how-good-is-your-lawyer-on-a-scale-of-atticus-finch-to-franklin/) [Lisa Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-henry/) > [“You taste injustice, even if it’s fictional, really taste it,it has a way of doing that. Sometimes, you can never put the shoe on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-taste-injustice-even-if-it-s-fictional-really-taste-it-it-has-a/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Atticus-finch quotes > [“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real-courage-is-instead-of-getting-the-idea/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“You taste injustice, even if it’s fictional, really taste it,it has a way of doing that. Sometimes, you can never put the shoe on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-taste-injustice-even-if-it-s-fictional-really-taste-it-it-has-a/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“(Brin) 'How good is your lawyer, on a scale of Atticus Finch to Franklin and Bash?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-henry/brin-how-good-is-your-lawyer-on-a-scale-of-atticus-finch-to-franklin/) [Lisa Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-henry/) > [“I have been around long enough to discount most superstitions for what they are: I was around when many of them began to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/i-have-been-around-long-enough-to-discount-most-superstitions-for/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“That’s what a skinwalker is: a mean asshole with a meaner spirit squatting inside.” Oberon said. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/that-s-what-a-skinwalker-is-a-mean-asshole-with-a-meaner-spirit/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/courage-is-when-you-know-you-re-licked-before-you-begin-but-you-begin/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“She was the bravest person I ever knew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/she-was-the-bravest-person-i-ever-knew/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“And for goodness' sake put some of the county back where it belongs, the soil erosion's bad enough as it is." Dill stared at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/and-for-goodness-sake-put-some-of-the-county-back-where-it-belongs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“…I wanted you to see something about her-- I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real-3/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Jesse believed stories were the collective memories of the world, recorded in books so that each of us could know who we were before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/jesse-believed-stories-were-the-collective-memories-of-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) [Browse all 11 Atticus-finch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus-finch-2/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. 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