--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every man is under the natural duty of…" description: "\"Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the laws should enforce on him.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg" --- # Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the… ![“Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the laws should enforce on him.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg) > “Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the laws should enforce on him.” [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. Citizens must contribute to society’s basic needs; laws should enforce this duty. **In simple terms:** People should help meet society’s needs. Key Takeaway Promote civic responsibility and fair laws. Themes civic duty law society responsibility public good Mood serious reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public policy - community service - taxation Key Concepts political philosophy social contract ethics Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities should be legally mandated? - How can we encourage voluntary contribution? A Different Perspective Balancing individual freedom with enforced duties is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [For a man who has done his natural duty, death is as natural as sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/for-a-man-who-has-done-his-natural-duty-death-is-as-natural-as-sleep/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Prayer is not a hard requirement - it is the natural duty of a creature to its creator, the simplest homage that human need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/prayer-is-not-a-hard-requirement-it-is-the-natural-duty-of-a-creature/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Wherever in any society there are too many laws, it is a sure sign that that society will soon die. If you study the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/wherever-in-any-society-there-are-too-many-laws-it-is-a-sure-sign/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The all wise Creator of man imprest certain laws on his nature. A desire of happiness, and of society, are two of those laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-all-wise-creator-of-man-imprest-certain-laws-on-his-nature-a/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [For a healthy society, those laws and conventions should always support marriage as an institution characterised by an openness to children and the responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-nichols/for-a-healthy-society-those-laws-and-conventions-should-always/) [Vincent Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-nichols/) > [Those laws, being forged for universal application, are in perpetual conflict with personal interest, just as personal interest is always in contradiction with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/those-laws-being-forged-for-universal-application-are-in-perpetual/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [For centuries we have been living in the society where not laws but people ruled, where there was no legal state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nursultan-nazarbayev/for-centuries-we-have-been-living-in-the-society-where-not-laws-but/) [Nursultan Nazarbayev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nursultan-nazarbayev/) > [It certainly makes no sense to enact more laws if we cannot, or do not, enforce the ones we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-lincoln/it-certainly-makes-no-sense-to-enact-more-laws-if-we-cannot-or-do-not/) [Blanche Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-lincoln/) > [If a state, or nation, has laws it will not enforce for political reasons, it mocks both the law and politics, to say nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/if-a-state-or-nation-has-laws-it-will-not-enforce-for-political/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [If the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/if-the-public-are-bound-to-yield-obedience-to-laws-to-which-they/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [It's not so much the attorney general's job to decide what laws to enforce. We should do our jobs and enforce laws effectively as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/it-s-not-so-much-the-attorney-general-s-job-to-decide-what-laws-to/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [“Out there, in no man's territory, there is no law as you know. Therefore you should create your own laws and enforce them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/out-there-in-no-man-s-territory-there-is-no-law-as-you-know-therefore/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [America, where thanks to Congress, there are forty million laws to enforce the Ten Commandments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/america-where-thanks-to-congress-there-are-forty-million-laws-to/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Now a slave is not 'held' by any legal contract, obligation, duty, or authority, which the laws will enforce. He is 'held' only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/now-a-slave-is-not-held-by-any-legal-contract-obligation-duty-or/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Either we need to redefine what probable cause means and say that police are not subject to it, or we arrest officers right away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/either-we-need-to-redefine-what-probable-cause-means-and-say-that/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) ## 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 Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [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/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the laws should enforce on him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-contributing-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-contributing-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/thomas-jefferson-43_civil-rights_every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-c_316279.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every man is under the natural duty of contributing to the necessities of the society; and this is all the…” — 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": "Every man is under the natural...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-contributing-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/every-man-is-under-the-natural-duty-of-contributing-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```