Authority Quote by Thomas Jefferson
“The influence over government must be shared among all the people. If every individual which composes their mass participates of the ultimate authority, the government will be safe, because the corrupting of the whole mass will exceed any private resources of wealth, and public ones cannot be provided but by levies on the people. In this case every man would have to pay his own price.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: 1787 correspondence on governance, Thomas Jefferson to James Madison
Government power should be distributed among all citizens, preventing corruption through collective responsibility.
In simple terms: Power shared prevents corruption.
Key Takeaway
Promote inclusive decision‑making.
Themes
democracy
shared power
anti‑corruption
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- community meetings
- public budgeting
- citizen assemblies
Key Concepts
social contract
collective responsibility
taxation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern societies ensure equitable participation?
- What safeguards prevent majority tyranny?
A Different Perspective
Complex to achieve true equality.
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