--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees…" description: "\"Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees for justice. They are men of the same nature as minorities. They have the same passions for fame, power, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/lysander-spooner-3260_fame_majorities-as-such-afford-no-guarantees_525425.jpg" --- # Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees for justice… ![“Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees for justice. They are men of the same nature as minorities. They have the same passions for fame, power, and money, as minorities; and are liable and likely to be equally - perhaps more than equally, because more boldly - rapacious, tyrannical and…” quote by Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/lysander-spooner-3260_fame_majorities-as-such-afford-no-guarantees_525425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/lysander-spooner-3260_fame_majorities-as-such-afford-no-guarantees_525425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/lysander-spooner-3260_fame_majorities-as-such-afford-no-guarantees_525425.jpg) > “Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees for justice. They are men of the same nature as minorities. They have the same passions for fame, power, and money, as minorities; and are liable and likely to be equally - perhaps more than equally, because more boldly - rapacious, tyrannical and unprincipled, if intrusted with power.” [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Majorities, like minorities, can be equally corrupt when given power, so majority rule alone doesn't guarantee justice. **In simple terms:** Power can corrupt any group, big or small. Key Takeaway Guard against concentration of power. Themes justice politics majority rule Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government - policy making - voting - civil rights activism Key Concepts corruption power dynamics egalitarianism Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent tyranny of the majority? - How can minorities influence justice? A Different Perspective Majorities may have more resources to enforce their will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Guarantees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guarantees/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Liable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liable/) [Majorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majorities-1208516/) [Majorities Afford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majorities-afford-4425663/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Minorities Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities-passions-4425664/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-minorities-4425665/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [Majorities and minorities cannot rightfully be taken at all into account in deciding questions of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/majorities-and-minorities-cannot-rightfully-be-taken-at-all-into/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Being 'at the mercy of legislative majorities' is merely another way of describing the basic American plan: representative democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bork/being-at-the-mercy-of-legislative-majorities-is-merely-another-way-of/) [Robert Bork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bork/) > [You know, a lot of the people that are running. We want to go in; we want to have majorities. It's very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-know-a-lot-of-the-people-that-are-running-we-want-to-go-in-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Majorities are generally wrong, if only in their reasons for being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saintsbury/majorities-are-generally-wrong-if-only-in-their-reasons-for-being/) [George Saintsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saintsbury/) > [The minorities are sometimes right. The majorities never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-minorities-are-sometimes-right-the-majorities-never/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Climate change may not be the most important issue to every American, but strong majorities do consider it a major problem, and they aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/climate-change-may-not-be-the-most-important-issue-to-every-american/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [They're still a subject beholden to special interests, but at least they have a national constituency. At least they have to think about national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/they-re-still-a-subject-beholden-to-special-interests-but-at-least/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Majorities, of course, start with minorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-moses/majorities-of-course-start-with-minorities/) [Robert Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-moses/) > [Majorities are of two sorts: (1) communal majority and (2) political majority. A political majority is changeable in its class composition. A political majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/majorities-are-of-two-sorts-1-communal-majority-and-2-political/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [The fact disclosed by a survey of the past that majorities have been wrong must not blind us to the complementary fact that majorities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-fact-disclosed-by-a-survey-of-the-past-that-majorities-have-been/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/great-innovations-should-not-be-forced-on-slender-majorities/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“...so bear in mind that majorities, especially respectable ones, are nine times out of ten in the wrong; and that if you see man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/so-bear-in-mind-that-majorities-especially-respectable-ones-are-nine/) [Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/) > [Decision by majorities is as much an expedient as lighting by gas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/decision-by-majorities-is-as-much-an-expedient-as-lighting-by-gas/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [The parliamentary principle of decision by majorities only appears during quite short periods of history, and those are always periods of decadence in nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-parliamentary-principle-of-decision-by-majorities-only-appears/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I mean, we've had Republican majorities in the House and even the Senate for a couple of years. How has that worked out, stopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-mean-we-ve-had-republican-majorities-in-the-house-and-even-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Lysander Spooner > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [I was put into jail as I was going to the shoemaker's to get a shoe which was mended. When I was let out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/i-was-put-into-jail-as-i-was-going-to-the-shoemaker-s-to-get-a-shoe/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I am your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-single-despot-stands-out-in-the-face-of-all-men-and-says-i-am-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Rothschilds, and that class of money-lenders of whom they are the representatives and agents - men who never think of lending a shilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-rothschilds-and-that-class-of-money-lenders-of-whom-they-are-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Who are ever taxed? Individuals only. Who have property that can be taxed? Individuals only. Who can give their consent to be taxed? Individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/who-are-ever-taxed-individuals-only-who-have-property-that-can-be/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [There can be no criminal intent in resisting injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/there-can-be-no-criminal-intent-in-resisting-injustice/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Practically and commercially speaking, a dollar is not necessarily a specific thing, made of silver, or gold, or any other single metal, or substance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/practically-and-commercially-speaking-a-dollar-is-not-necessarily-a/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-the-jury-have-no-right-to-judge-of-the-justice-of-a-law-of-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If it be said that the consent of the strongest party in a nation, is all that is necessary to justify the establishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-it-be-said-that-the-consent-of-the-strongest-party-in-a-nation-is/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [In reality there is no such thing as an inflation of prices, relatively to gold. There is such a thing as a depreciated paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/in-reality-there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-inflation-of-prices/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [And there is no difference, in principle - but only in degree - between political and chattel slavery. The former, no less than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/and-there-is-no-difference-in-principle-but-only-in-degree-between/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Constitution has no inherent authority or obligation. It has no authority or obligation at all, unless as a contract between man and man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-constitution-has-no-inherent-authority-or-obligation-it-has-no/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [These so-called governments are in reality only great bands of robbers and murderers, organized, disciplined, and constantly on the alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/these-so-called-governments-are-in-reality-only-great-bands-of/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Explore all 135 Lysander Spooner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) ## More Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. 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It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. 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