--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let men learn that a legislature is not…" description: "\"Let men learn that a legislature is not 'our God upon earth,' though, by the authority they ascribe to it, and the things they expect from it, they wou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/herbert-spencer-1765_authority_let-men-learn-that-a-legislature-is-not_936375.jpg" --- # Let men learn that a legislature is not 'our God upon… ![“Let men learn that a legislature is not 'our God upon earth,' though, by the authority they ascribe to it, and the things they expect from it, they would seem to think it is. Let them learn rather that it is an institution serving a purely temporary purpose, whose power, when not stolen, is at the…” quote by Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/herbert-spencer-1765_authority_let-men-learn-that-a-legislature-is-not_936375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/herbert-spencer-1765_authority_let-men-learn-that-a-legislature-is-not_936375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/herbert-spencer-1765_authority_let-men-learn-that-a-legislature-is-not_936375.jpg) > “Let men learn that a legislature is not 'our God upon earth,' though, by the authority they ascribe to it, and the things they expect from it, they would seem to think it is. Let them learn rather that it is an institution serving a purely temporary purpose, whose power, when not stolen, is at the best borrowed.” [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spencer argues that legislatures are temporary institutions, not divine or eternal, and their authority is borrowed; they should be seen as serving a limited purpose rather than being worshipped. **In simple terms:** Legislatures are temporary, not divine. Key Takeaway Treat legislatures as temporary, limited institutions. Themes politics authority temporary institutions Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - recognizing legislative limits - preventing overreach Key Concepts social contract power dynamics institutional theory Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of legislative power? - How can citizens ensure temporary governance? A Different Perspective Treating legislatures as immutable can lead to authoritarianism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Borrowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrowed/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Learn Legislature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-legislature-1566876/) [Legislature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislature/) [Legislature God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislature-god-1566875/) [Let me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-me/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-learn/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Serving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving/) [Stolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stolen/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [Temporary Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary-purpose-494048/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We're in the hands of the state legislature and God, but at the moment, the state legislature has more to say than God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-re-in-the-hands-of-the-state-legislature-and-god-but-at-the-moment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The purpose of spiritual life is not to create some special state of mind. 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