--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A wise and frugal government, which shall…" description: "\"A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of ind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/thomas-jefferson-43_another_a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall_1630797.jpg" --- # A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men… ![“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/thomas-jefferson-43_another_a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall_1630797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/thomas-jefferson-43_another_a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall_1630797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/thomas-jefferson-43_another_a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall_1630797.jpg) > “A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A government should protect citizens from harming each other while allowing personal economic freedom and not confiscate earned wages. **In simple terms:** Government protects from harm but lets people keep their earnings. Key Takeaway Ensure laws protect rights without overtaxing labor. Themes freedom government economics justice Mood thoughtful balanced Type political philosophical When to use this quote - business ownership - labor contracts - tax policy - social welfare - entrepreneurship Key Concepts liberalism property rights individualism Questions to Reflect On - How do we define “injuring one another”? - What limits should government place on economic activity? A Different Perspective Balancing regulation and liberty can be politically contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [Earned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Regulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-regulate-482206/) [Frugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frugal/) [Frugal Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frugal-government-482203/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-shall-482204/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Injuring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injuring/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth/) [Otherwise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/otherwise/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Pursuits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuits/) [Regulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulate/) [Restrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restrain/) [Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall/) [Shall Restrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-restrain-482205/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall-leave-men-free-to-regulate/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-wise-and-frugal-government-which-shall-restrain-men-from-injuring-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical...A wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/to-compel-a-man-to-furnish-contributions-of-money-for-the-propagation-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Why not include a provision that everybody shall, in good weather, hunt on his own land and catch fish in rivers that are public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/why-not-include-a-provision-that-everybody-shall-in-good-weather-hunt/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/so-confident-am-i-in-the-intentions-as-well-as-wisdom-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It is (our) duty . . . to pay especial attention to the principles of government which shall be inculcated therein (at the University),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-our-duty-to-pay-especial-attention-to-the-principles-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Americans, both politicians and voters, may have become corrupted by big government beyond redemption. 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