American founding fathers Quote by Thomas Jefferson
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: John Adams, 1787
Government authority is justified only to prevent harm to others.
In simple terms: Power exists to stop harm.
Key Takeaway
Limit power to protect rights.
Themes
government
rights
harm prevention
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
philosophical
legal
When to use this quote
- law drafting
- civil rights advocacy
- public safety
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
political philosophy
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- When does intervention become overreach?
- How to define “harm”?
A Different Perspective
Balancing security and liberty is complex.
![“[O]ur rules 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.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c72/thomas-jefferson-43_authority_o-ur-rules-can-have-authority-over-such_2895951.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)
