Constitution Quote by Susan B. Anthony
“So long as State constitutions say that all may vote when twenty-one, save idiots, lunatics, convicts and women, you are brought down politically to the level of those others disfranchised.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to the National Woman Suffrage Association, 1876
The quote critiques exclusionary voting laws that disenfranchise groups deemed undesirable, highlighting hypocrisy in limiting democracy.
In simple terms: Excluding certain people from voting is contradictory.
Key Takeaway
Advocate inclusive voting rights.
Themes
democracy
rights
inclusion
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy reform
- civic education
- activism
- legislative advocacy
Key Concepts
suffrage
citizenship
political equality
Questions to Reflect On
- How do current voting restrictions reflect past exclusions?
- What steps can broaden participation today?
A Different Perspective
Historical context limited to 19th‑century US; modern legal frameworks differ.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
