--- 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.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2198784.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.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2198784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2198784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/henry-david-thoreau-20_accepting_i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-governm_2198784.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.” [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. Thoreau advocates for minimal government interference, urging swift, systematic implementation of limited governance. **In simple terms:** Government should be small and act efficiently. Key Takeaway Support limited, effective government. Themes politics philosophy freedom government efficiency Mood reflective idealistic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - legislation - public debate - community organizing Key Concepts libertarianism civil responsibility policy reform Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards ensure essential services remain? - How to balance liberty with collective needs? A Different Perspective Implementation may overlook necessary social services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) [Anarchist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchist/) [Civil disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Transcendentalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendentalism/) ## Related quotes > [“That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. 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/) > [I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-heartily-accept-the-motto-that-government-is-best-which-governs-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-government-is-best-which-governs-the-least-because-its-people/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“That government is best that governs not at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-government-is-best-that-governs-not-at-all/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [That government is best which governs least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-government-is-best-which-governs-least/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [That government is best which governs not at all; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-government-is-best-which-governs-not-at-all-and-when-men-are/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is perfectly true that that government is best which governs least. It is equally true that that government is best which provides most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/it-is-perfectly-true-that-that-government-is-best-which-governs-least/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Government is best which governs least](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/government-is-best-which-governs-least/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [A famous, very often quoted phrase says: "That government is best, which governs least." I do not believe this to be a correct description…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/a-famous-very-often-quoted-phrase-says-that-government-is-best-which/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [That government is best which governs least, because its people discipline themselves. 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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. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. 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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