--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every law is a contract between the king…" description: "\"Every law is a contract between the king and the people and therefore to be kept.\" — John Selden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg" --- # Every law is a contract between the king and the people… ![“Every law is a contract between the king and the people and therefore to be kept.” quote by John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg) > “Every law is a contract between the king and the people and therefore to be kept.” [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law is a mutual agreement between ruler and people, obligating both to uphold it. **In simple terms:** Law binds both ruler and people. Key Takeaway Uphold mutual obligations. Themes law social contract governance Mood analytical reflective Type philosophical legal When to use this quote - government policy - citizen duties - international treaties Key Concepts political theory rights responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure rulers honor the contract? - What mechanisms enforce mutual obligations? A Different Perspective Power imbalances can distort the contract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“Many capable people are kept from getting to the next level of contribution because they can’t let go of the belief that everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/many-capable-people-are-kept-from-getting-to-the-next-level-of/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [Consensus facit legem. CONSENT MAKES THE LAW. 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King James used to call for his old shoes; they were the easiest for his feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/old-friends-are-best-king-james-used-to-call-for-his-old-shoes-they/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Pleasures are all alike simply considered in themselves: he that hunts, or he that governs the commonwealth, they both please themselves alike, only we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/pleasures-are-all-alike-simply-considered-in-themselves-he-that-hunts/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [We pick out a text here and there to make it serve our turn; whereas , if we take it all together, and considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-pick-out-a-text-here-and-there-to-make-it-serve-our-turn-whereas/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Talk what you will of the Jews,--that they are cursed: they thrive wherever they come; they are able to oblige the prince of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/talk-what-you-will-of-the-jews-that-they-are-cursed-they-thrive/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colors but black, then I am superstitious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-are-against-superstition-oftentimes-run-into-it-of-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The world cannot be governed without juggling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/the-world-cannot-be-governed-without-juggling/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preaching, in the first sense of the word, ceased as soon as ever the gospel was written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preaching-in-the-first-sense-of-the-word-ceased-as-soon-as-ever-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preachers say, "Do as I say, not as I do." But if a physician had the same disease upon him that I have, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preachers-say-do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do-but-if-a-physician-had-the-same/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) [Explore all 91 John Selden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## More Contract quotes > [I am very convinced that I did not contract Ebola in the isolation unit, because our process is so safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-brantly/i-am-very-convinced-that-i-did-not-contract-ebola-in-the-isolation/) [Kent Brantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-brantly/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. 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I never, never, never have offered a part to anyone who didn't deserve it, and I've never not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toback/i-work-seriously-with-complete-integrity-i-never-never-never-have/) [James Toback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toback/) > [Nowadays, in the contract that actors sign, you have to agree that you're going to do a certain amount of publicity-the hard part they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/nowadays-in-the-contract-that-actors-sign-you-have-to-agree-that-you/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Society is indeed a contract. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/society-is-indeed-a-contract-it-is-a-partnership-in-all-science-a/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A prisoner is imprisoned by the crime that he has committed. A jailer is imprisoned — in the very same prison — by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-prisoner-is-imprisoned-by-the-crime-that-he-has-committed-a-jailer/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“When we are quiet and still we contract and settle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-we-are-quiet-and-still-we-contract-and-settle/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [When you sign a contract, that's your deal. Everyone has different deals anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-you-sign-a-contract-that-s-your-deal-everyone-has-different/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [When you need to renew your contract, you must demonstrate why they are renewing your contract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-pellegrini/when-you-need-to-renew-your-contract-you-must-demonstrate-why-they/) [Manuel Pellegrini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-pellegrini/) > [“You don't know with who you are having to deal with... you just sign the contract to die”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/you-don-t-know-with-who-you-are-having-to-deal-with-you-just-sign-the/) Deyth Banger > [Even if you have a contract you can be sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teemu-pukki/even-if-you-have-a-contract-you-can-be-sold/) [Teemu Pukki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teemu-pukki/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 518 Contract quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every law is a contract between the king and the people and therefore to be kept.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Selden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king-and-the-people-and-therefore/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contract" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king-and-the-people-and-therefore/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/john-selden-7457_contracts_every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king_1213386.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every law is a contract between the king and the people and therefore to be kept.” — John Selden", "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 Selden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every law is a contract between...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king-and-the-people-and-therefore/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/every-law-is-a-contract-between-the-king-and-the-people-and-therefore/#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 } } ] } ```