--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have great confidence in the common…" description: "\"I have great confidence in the common sense of mankind in general.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/thomas-jefferson-43_common_i-have-great-confidence-in-the-common-se_288806.jpg" --- # I have great confidence in the common sense of mankind in… ![“I have great confidence in the common sense of mankind in general.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/thomas-jefferson-43_common_i-have-great-confidence-in-the-common-se_288806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/thomas-jefferson-43_common_i-have-great-confidence-in-the-common-se_288806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/thomas-jefferson-43_common_i-have-great-confidence-in-the-common-se_288806.jpg) > “I have great confidence in the common sense of mankind in general.” [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. The author believes humanity generally possesses sound judgment. **In simple terms:** People are usually reasonable. Key Takeaway Trust collective wisdom. Themes human nature optimism reason society Mood hopeful confident Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy - community projects - education reform - collaborative decision making Key Concepts philosophy political theory civic virtue Questions to Reflect On - When might common sense fail? - How do you balance optimism with critical thinking? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can ignore minority viewpoints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Great confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-confidence/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-first-amendment-makes-confidence-in-the-common-sense-of-our/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Why should not the knowledge, the skill, the expertness, the assiduity, and the spirited hazards of trade and commerce, when crowned with success, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/why-should-not-the-knowledge-the-skill-the-expertness-the-assiduity/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [It is impossible for us, who live in the latter ages of the world, to make observations in criticism, morality, or in any art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/it-is-impossible-for-us-who-live-in-the-latter-ages-of-the-world-to/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [A crisis of confidence is so common that it should be considered a universal part of the adoption process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/a-crisis-of-confidence-is-so-common-that-it-should-be-considered-a/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of . . . but to place before mankind the common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/not-to-find-out-new-principles-or-new-arguments-never-before-thought/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Finishing overall champion at the World Series in both the individual and synchro events has given me great confidence and I'm pleased I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-daley/finishing-overall-champion-at-the-world-series-in-both-the-individual/) [Tom Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-daley/) > [Confidence comes naturally with success but, success comes only to those, who are confident so, begin ur day with great confidence. HAVE A NICE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/confidence-comes-naturally-with-success-but-success-comes-only-to/) [Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/) > [ After years of training \[as astronaut\], you have great confidence in the technology. 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There are other areas of my life where I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-have-a-great-amount-of-confidence-and-faith-in-my-abilities-to/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [Tis a great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults; greater to tell him his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/tis-a-great-confidence-in-a-friend-to-tell-him-your-faults-greater-to/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have a great confidence in the revelations which holidays bring forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-have-a-great-confidence-in-the-revelations-which-holidays-bring/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It gives us great confidence that our country is in safe hands if the number of youth who turned up in Maitland is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-goode/it-gives-us-great-confidence-that-our-country-is-in-safe-hands-if-the/) Fred Goode ## 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. 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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 Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. 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