--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I flatter myself [we] have in this…" description: "\"I flatter myself [we] have in this country extinguished forever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind.\" — James Madison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/james-madison-373_ambitious_i-flatter-myself-we-have-in-this-country_2032873.png" --- # I flatter myself \[we\] have in this country extinguished… ![“I flatter myself [we] have in this country extinguished forever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind.” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/james-madison-373_ambitious_i-flatter-myself-we-have-in-this-country_2032873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/james-madison-373_ambitious_i-flatter-myself-we-have-in-this-country_2032873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ce/james-madison-373_ambitious_i-flatter-myself-we-have-in-this-country_2032873.png) > “I flatter myself \[we\] have in this country extinguished forever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind.” [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes that the desire to control human thought is an impossible, dangerous ambition. **In simple terms:** Attempting to legislate thought is futile. Key Takeaway Guard freedom of thought and expression. Themes politics freedom human nature Mood cautious critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislation - education - media regulation - public discourse Key Concepts censorship authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to protect minds without oppression? - What safeguards can prevent thought‑control laws? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on control can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Ambitious Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious-hope-3433117/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Extinguished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-extinguished-3743218/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Extinguished Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinguished-forever-3743217/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Forever Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever-ambitious-3743216/) [Freedom of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-religion/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Making Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-laws-592508/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a forthright person and I am ambitious and I do hope that I get to do more, interesting work but not at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-clark/i-m-a-forthright-person-and-i-am-ambitious-and-i-do-hope-that-i-get/) [Jessica Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-clark/) > [ I'm told \[ Zulfikar Ali\] Bhutto is ambitious. 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McClung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-l-mcclung/) > [The power of the legislative being derived from the people by a positive voluntary grant and institution, can be no other than what that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-power-of-the-legislative-being-derived-from-the-people-by-a/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [There's a lot of insincerity about the actions of our legislators; they create distractions - like this anti-gay law you alluded to - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/there-s-a-lot-of-insincerity-about-the-actions-of-our-legislators/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Sunlight is better than secrecy when it comes to making laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/sunlight-is-better-than-secrecy-when-it-comes-to-making-laws/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [You don't need lawyers making laws. Regular citizens can make laws. Let the lawyers work under the laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/you-don-t-need-lawyers-making-laws-regular-citizens-can-make-laws-let/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [The Legislative cannot transfer the Power of Making Laws to any other hands. For it being but a delegated Power from the People, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-legislative-cannot-transfer-the-power-of-making-laws-to-any-other/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“This system is called the " system of checks and balances," because each department of the government is supposed to be a check upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-system-is-called-the-system-of-checks-and-balances-because-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The function of the creative artist consists of making laws, not in following laws already made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferruccio-busoni/the-function-of-the-creative-artist-consists-of-making-laws-not-in/) [Ferruccio Busoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferruccio-busoni/) ## More by James Madison > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. 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But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. 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