--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An informed citizenry is the only true…" description: "\"An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg" --- # An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the… ![“An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg) > “An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” [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. An educated electorate is essential for true democratic governance. **In simple terms:** Informed citizens hold real political power. Key Takeaway Promote civic education and engagement. Themes democracy citizenship knowledge Mood inspirational serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - voting - community forums - media literacy - public debates Key Concepts political theory public will education reform Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure accurate information? - What role should schools play in civic education? A Different Perspective Misinformation can undermine informed citizenry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Informed citizenry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informed-citizenry/) [Informed citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informed-citizens/) ## Related quotes > [Since an informed citizenry is the basis for a healthy democracy, independent, non-corporate media are more crucial today than ever before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahr-jamail/since-an-informed-citizenry-is-the-basis-for-a-healthy-democracy/) Dahr Jamail > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [An informed citizenry is at the heart of a dynamic democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-informed-citizenry-is-at-the-heart-of-a-dynamic-democracy/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The aspirations of democracy are based on the notion of an informed citizenry, capable of making wise decisions. The choices we are asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/the-aspirations-of-democracy-are-based-on-the-notion-of-an-informed/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [We believe that an informed citizenry will act for life and not for death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/we-believe-that-an-informed-citizenry-will-act-for-life-and-not-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Public Broadcasting System an entity designed to create an informed citizenry rather than to deliver consumers to advertisers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mitchell/public-broadcasting-system-an-entity-designed-to-create-an-informed/) [Pat Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mitchell/) > [Democracy cannot meaningfully function without an informed citizenry, and such a citizenry is impossible without broad public access to information about the operations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-shapiro/democracy-cannot-meaningfully-function-without-an-informed-citizenry/) [Ryan Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-shapiro/) > [Nothing can stop the power of an informed citizenry when it is empowered, organized, and motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/nothing-can-stop-the-power-of-an-informed-citizenry-when-it-is/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [“A Nation’s best defense is an informed citizenry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-nation-s-best-defense-is-an-informed-citizenry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The 'well-informed citizenry is in danger of becoming the 'well-amused audience'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-well-informed-citizenry-is-in-danger-of-becoming-the-well-amused/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Widespread public access to knowledge, like public education, is one of the pillars of our democracy, a guarantee that we can maintain a well-informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/widespread-public-access-to-knowledge-like-public-education-is-one-of/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [Democracy can't function without an informed citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-shapiro/democracy-can-t-function-without-an-informed-citizenry/) [Ryan Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-shapiro/) > [Democracy requires an informed citizenry able to question its government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/democracy-requires-an-informed-citizenry-able-to-question-its/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/tyranny-is-defined-as-that-which-is-legal-for-the-government-but/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic. Self-government is not possible unless the citizens are educated sufficiently to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-enlightened-citizenry-is-indispensable-for-the-proper-functioning/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Thomas Jefferson > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one-step-what-will-be-the-next/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/knowledge-is-power-knowled-ge-is-safety-knowle-dge-is-happiness/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Citizenry quotes > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [You cannot have 300-some million Americans - and really, right, the global citizenry be at risk of having their phone conversations intercepted with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/you-cannot-have-300-some-million-americans-and-really-right-the/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [Politics is about the participation and engagement of the wider citizenry - to miss that point would doom us to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/politics-is-about-the-participation-and-engagement-of-the-wider/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) Stefan Halper > [Higher education is confronting challenges, like the economy is, about the need for a higher number of more adequately trained, more highly educated citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/higher-education-is-confronting-challenges-like-the-economy-is-about/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust. It is about accountability, exposure, open debate, critical challenge, and popular input and feedback from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/democracy-is-not-about-trust-it-is-about-distrust-it-is-about/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [A popular feel for scientific endeavors should, if possible, be restored given the needs of the twenty-first century. This does not mean that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/a-popular-feel-for-scientific-endeavors-should-if-possible-be/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-best-defense-against-usurpatory-government-is-an-assertive/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind is closed, the leader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/and-when-the-drums-of-war-have-reached-a-fever-pitch-and-the-blood/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Today's political leaders demonstrate their low opinion of the public with every social law they pass. They believe that, if given the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/today-s-political-leaders-demonstrate-their-low-opinion-of-the-public/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [“When justice is prioritized by any leader at any level then to give justice to the citizenry will always be at the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-justice-is-prioritized-by-any-leader-at-any-level-then-to-give/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry. This not for someone who's in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/i-feel-that-the-second-amendment-is-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [This has been the new normal since September 11. Everyone knows, but nobody says, that if something happens again, the elite consensus in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/this-has-been-the-new-normal-since-september-11-everyone-knows-but/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) Browse all 138 Citizenry quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-repository-of-the-public-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Citizenry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-repository-of-the-public-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/thomas-jefferson-43_citizenry_an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-r_1494210.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” — Thomas Jefferson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Jefferson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An informed citizenry is the only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-repository-of-the-public-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-informed-citizenry-is-the-only-true-repository-of-the-public-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```