--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let our government be like that of the…" description: "\"Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg" --- # Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let… ![“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.” quote by John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg) > “Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.” [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A metaphor for a balanced federal system where central authority guides while states retain autonomy, maintaining harmony. **In simple terms:** Federal balance like sun and planets. Key Takeaway Design government with clear central leadership and autonomous states. Themes government federalism balance harmony metaphor Mood thoughtful reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - constitutional design - state-federal relations - public policy - education on civics Key Concepts political theory systems thinking interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How can states retain meaningful autonomy? - What mechanisms ensure harmonious interaction? A Different Perspective May reduce local flexibility if central power dominates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitutional convention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-convention/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Orbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orbit/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Solar system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar-system/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) ## Related quotes > [If the General Government should be left dependent on the State Legislatures, it would be happy for us if we had never met in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/if-the-general-government-should-be-left-dependent-on-the-state/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Oil is dead, on its way to extinction. As a group of citizens we must speak up and act towards ending fracking. Let your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/oil-is-dead-on-its-way-to-extinction-as-a-group-of-citizens-we-must/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [Let's not let the government sell us out. Let's fight for net neutrality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/let-s-not-let-the-government-sell-us-out-let-s-fight-for-net/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [One of the main ways that leadership stays in power is by, in various ways, convincing people that they should just let those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/one-of-the-main-ways-that-leadership-stays-in-power-is-by-in-various/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [The true slogan of a true democracy is not 'Let the Government do it' but rather, 'let's do it ourselves'… This is the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-true-slogan-of-a-true-democracy-is-not-let-the-government-do-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We shouldn't just consider the desire of government to do what it wants to do. We should always consider the resistance of people. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/we-shouldn-t-just-consider-the-desire-of-government-to-do-what-it/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Whenever there is some trouble in any area of the economy, the simplest solution to many people is "Let the government fix it." Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-fertig/whenever-there-is-some-trouble-in-any-area-of-the-economy-the/) Lawrence Fertig > [A society that does not give importance to education cannot progress. Let there be any Government, it must have a vision to make India…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/a-society-that-does-not-give-importance-to-education-cannot-progress/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/if-people-let-the-government-decide-what-foods-they-eat-and-what/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [To make crime unprofitable, let the government run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-peter/to-make-crime-unprofitable-let-the-government-run-it/) [Irene Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-peter/) > [Remember that every government service, every offer of government - financed security, is paid for in the loss of personal freedom... In the days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/remember-that-every-government-service-every-offer-of-government/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Social Security got passed because John D. Rockefeller was sick of having to take money out of his profits to pay for his workers'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/social-security-got-passed-because-john-d-rockefeller-was-sick-of/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [One way to make sure crime doesn't pay would be to let the government run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/one-way-to-make-sure-crime-doesn-t-pay-would-be-to-let-the-government/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [To sit back and say, 'Oh, we're going to let the government do whatever they want, right or wrong,' is giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/to-sit-back-and-say-oh-we-re-going-to-let-the-government-do-whatever/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [We will not let government bureaucracy stand in the way of helping small businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sununu/we-will-not-let-government-bureaucracy-stand-in-the-way-of-helping/) [Chris Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sununu/) ## More by John Dickinson > [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Kings or parliaments could not give the rights essential to happiness... We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/kings-or-parliaments-could-not-give-the-rights-essential-to-happiness/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Our liberties do not come from charters; for these are only the declaration of pre-existing rights. They do not depend on parchments or seals;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/our-liberties-do-not-come-from-charters-for-these-are-only-the/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [For I am convinced, that the authors of this law would never obtain an act to raise so trifling a sum as it must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/for-i-am-convinced-that-the-authors-of-this-law-would-never-obtain-an/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Experience must be our only guide. Reason may mislead us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/experience-must-be-our-only-guide-reason-may-mislead-us/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [The power of the people pervading the proposed system, together with the strong confederation of the states, will form an adequate security against every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-power-of-the-people-pervading-the-proposed-system-together-with/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [If my property cannot be secure, in case others over whom I have no kind of influence, may take it from me by taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/if-my-property-cannot-be-secure-in-case-others-over-whom-i-have-no/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/most-men-with-nothing-would-rather-protect-the-possibility-of/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/with-hearts-fortified-with-these-animating-reflections-we-most/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Our cause is just. Our union is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/our-cause-is-just-our-union-is-perfect/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Honor, justice and humanity call upon us to hold and to transmit to our posterity, that liberty, which we received from our ancestors. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/honor-justice-and-humanity-call-upon-us-to-hold-and-to-transmit-to/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [We cannot be happy without being free; we cannot be free without being secure in our property; we cannot be secure in our property…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/we-cannot-be-happy-without-being-free-we-cannot-be-free-without-being/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/then-join-hand-in-hand-brave-americans-all-by-uniting-we-stand-by/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [As Congress is now to legislate for our extensive territory lately acquired, I pray to Heaven that they may build up the system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/as-congress-is-now-to-legislate-for-our-extensive-territory-lately/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [As in forming a political society, each individual contributes some of his rights, in order that he may, from a common stock of rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/as-in-forming-a-political-society-each-individual-contributes-some-of/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) [Explore all 34 John Dickinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) ## More Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [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/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) > [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) [Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dickinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-solar-system-let-the-general/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constitution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-solar-system-let-the-general/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/john-dickinson-18449_constitution_let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-s_2460646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the…” — John Dickinson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Dickinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let our government be like that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-solar-system-let-the-general/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/let-our-government-be-like-that-of-the-solar-system-let-the-general/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```