--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most faults are not in our Constitution…" description: "\"Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.\" — Ramsey Clark" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png" --- # Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves. ![“Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.” quote by Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png) > “Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.” [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that societal problems stem from personal failings rather than structural flaws in governance. **In simple terms:** Personal responsibility over systemic blame Key Takeaway Change begins with individual self‑improvement Themes Responsibility Human nature Governance Self‑reflection Ethics Mood Reflective Motivational Type Aphorism Political commentary When to use this quote - Political reform debates - Organizational culture reviews - Personal development workshops Key Concepts Constitution Individual agency Societal health Practical Applications - Leadership training - Civic education curricula Questions to Reflect On - How might personal accountability reshape public policy? - What habits can individuals adopt to reduce collective faults? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ## Related quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Don't care about people talking behind your back, because you know your worth and who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-care-about-people-talking-behind-your-back-because-you-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ The faults of which we ask you \[God\] the remittance, it is you who make us commit them; the traps of which we implore… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-faults-of-which-we-ask-you-god-the-remittance-it-is-you-who-make/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [How dare you? How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault? It's not right, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/how-dare-you-how-dare-you-create-a-world-in-which-there-is-such/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [We always remember our faults when they are known to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-always-remember-our-faults-when-they-are-known-to-people/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [LEGO has announced that they are shutting down their U.S. factory and moving it to Canada. LEGO employees say it's their fault because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/lego-has-announced-that-they-are-shutting-down-their-u-s-factory-and/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Talent is like a birthmark - it's a gift and no credit nor fault to those who wear them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-marion-russell/talent-is-like-a-birthmark-it-s-a-gift-and-no-credit-nor-fault-to/) [Charles Marion Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-marion-russell/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/) [Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/) > [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [I never could keep a promise. I do not blame myself for this weakness, because the fault must lie in my physical organization. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-could-keep-a-promise-i-do-not-blame-myself-for-this-weakness/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Ramsey Clark > [ How dare Americans allow their government to cause such misery \[in the world\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/how-dare-americans-allow-their-government-to-cause-such-misery-in-the/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/turbulence-is-life-force-it-is-opportunity-let-s-love-turbulence-and/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [We're not a democracy. It's a terrible misunderstandin g and a slander to the idea of democracy to call us that. In reality, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/we-re-not-a-democracy-it-s-a-terrible-misunderstandin-g-and-a-slander/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [A great many people in this country are worried about law-and-order. And a great many people are worried about justice. But one thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/a-great-many-people-in-this-country-are-worried-about-law-and-order/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Islam is the only religion that gives dignity to the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/islam-is-the-only-religion-that-gives-dignity-to-the-poor/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Democracy is just a word. You have to give it meaning. The US is not a democracy. Most Americans do not vote. We haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/democracy-is-just-a-word-you-have-to-give-it-meaning-the-us-is-not-a/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [The United States is not nearly so concerned that its acts be kept secret from its intended victims as it is that the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/the-united-states-is-not-nearly-so-concerned-that-its-acts-be-kept/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [The Christian Church overwhelmingly - there are exceptions - who choose to call Muhammad a terrorist. They could call Jesus a terrorist too. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/the-christian-church-overwhelmingly-there-are-exceptions-who-choose/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Both trials are marred with injustice, both are flawed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/both-trials-are-marred-with-injustice-both-are-flawed/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our history shows that the death penalty has been unjustly imposed, innocents have been killed by the state, effective rehabilitation has been impaired, judicial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-history-shows-that-the-death-penalty-has-been-unjustly-imposed/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our first concern is the security of the lawyers because without security you can't possibly have a fair trial, if trial at all, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-first-concern-is-the-security-of-the-lawyers-because-without/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [There are few better measures of the concern a society has for its individual members and its own well being than the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/there-are-few-better-measures-of-the-concern-a-society-has-for-its/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our emotions may cry for vengeance in the wake of a horrible crime, but we know that killing the criminal will not undo the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-emotions-may-cry-for-vengeance-in-the-wake-of-a-horrible-crime/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of aggression without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-most-serious-act-of-aggression/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [It has never happened in history that a nation that has won a war has been held accountable for atrocities committed in preparing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/it-has-never-happened-in-history-that-a-nation-that-has-won-a-war-has/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) [Explore all 31 Ramsey Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) ## More Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. 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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": "Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ramsey Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution-but-in-ourselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constitution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution-but-in-ourselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/ramsey-clark-20396_constitution_most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution_47419.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.” — Ramsey Clark", "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": "Ramsey Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most faults are not in our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution-but-in-ourselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution-but-in-ourselves/#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 } } ] } ```