Authority Quote by Thomas Jefferson
“The error seems not sufficiently eradicated, that the operations of the mind, as well as the acts of the body, are subject to the coercion of the laws. But our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: Letter to James Madison, 1787
Government authority is limited to preventing harm; conscience rights remain independent and answerable only to God.
In simple terms: Government can only restrict actions that hurt others; conscience stays free.
Key Takeaway
Protect personal conscience from governmental overreach.
Themes
politics
rights
government
conscience
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legal debates
- public policy
- civil disobedience
- personal ethics
Key Concepts
natural law
social contract
individual liberty
Questions to Reflect On
- How should societies limit governmental power?
- When is it justified to prioritize collective safety over individual conscience?
A Different Perspective
Balancing security and liberty is complex; enforcement may still infringe rights.
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![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)