--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I heartily accept the motto, \"That…" description: "\"I heartily accept the motto, \"That government is best which governs least\"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2832937.jpg" --- # I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best… ![“I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe — "That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2832937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2832937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2832937.jpg) > “I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe — "That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government should be minimal; ideally none, as it often becomes inefficient and oppressive. **In simple terms:** Less government is better. Key Takeaway Advocate for limited governance. Themes government liberty politics efficiency philosophy Mood reflective critical philosophical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - policy critique - public discourse - education Key Concepts Anarchism minimal state civil responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Is a stateless society feasible? - How can citizens hold governments accountable? A Different Perspective Even minimal governments can become corrupt or ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. 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Carried out, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-government-is-best-which-governs-least-and-i-should-like-to-see/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Confronted by menace, or what is perceived as menace, governments will usually attempt to smash it, rarely to examine it, understand it, define it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/confronted-by-menace-or-what-is-perceived-as-menace-governments-will/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Changing the ways of governments usually doesn't happen quickly, but time is a luxury the world no longer enjoys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-van-houten/changing-the-ways-of-governments-usually-doesn-t-happen-quickly-but/) [Frans van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-van-houten/) > [Governments usually end not with a bang but with a whimper, as the Conservatives learned in the 1990s. Support and authority erodes over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/governments-usually-end-not-with-a-bang-but-with-a-whimper-as-the/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [That government is best which governs least, because its people discipline themselves. If we are directed from Washington (heads of an organization) when to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/that-government-is-best-which-governs-least-because-its-people/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The government that governs best, governs best!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-government-that-governs-best-governs-best/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. 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I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I heartily accept the motto, \"That government is best which governs least\"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe — \"That government is best which governs not at all\"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. 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