Constitution Quote by Thomas Jefferson
“The constitution has erected no such single tribunal, knowing that to whatever hands confided, with the corruption's of time and party, its members would become despots.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: The Declaration of Independence, 1776
Power concentrates in any single body, leading to tyranny over time.
In simple terms: Single tribunals become tyrannical.
Key Takeaway
Guard against concentration of power.
Themes
politics
government
tyranny
Mood
cautious
serious
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- legislative design
- judicial appointments
- constitutional reforms
- public oversight
Key Concepts
checks and balances
corruption
institutional decay
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies ensure lasting accountability?
- What mechanisms best prevent institutional corruption?
A Different Perspective
Even with safeguards, power can still be abused.
![“This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d23/benjamin-franklin-65_constitution_this-the-u-s-constitution-is-likely-to-b_2328463.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00c/thomas-jefferson-43_change_single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-t_5515.jpg)
![“Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear their leading you out of [any difficult situation] in the easiest manner possible...” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ebe/thomas-jefferson-43_difficult_though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one_9828.jpg)
![“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)
