--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [I]n Great-Britain it is said that their…" description: "\"[I]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution relies on the house of commons for honesty, and the lords for wisdom; whichwould be a rational re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg" --- # \[I\]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution… ![“[I]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution relies on the house of commons for honesty, and the lords for wisdom; whichwould be a rational reliance if honesty were to be bought with money, and if wisdom were hereditary.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg) > “\[I\]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution relies on the house of commons for honesty, and the lords for wisdom; whichwould be a rational reliance if honesty were to be bought with money, and if wisdom were hereditary.” [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 constitution's reliance on honesty and wisdom is flawed if honesty is bought and wisdom is inherited, exposing systemic weakness. **In simple terms:** Honesty and wisdom shouldn't be bought or inherited. Key Takeaway Advocate merit‑based honesty and earned wisdom. Themes politics integrity governance Mood critical thoughtful Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislative bodies - public policy - ethical leadership Key Concepts meritocracy institutional design Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure honest governance? - What mechanisms protect wisdom from nepotism? A Different Perspective Assuming honesty can be bought ignores cultural factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Commons Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commons-honesty-1613809/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitution Relies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution-relies-1613808/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Great britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-britain/) [Hereditary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hereditary/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Honesty Lords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty-lords-1613811/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Commons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-commons/) [House of commons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-of-commons/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-reliance-1613810/) [Reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliance/) [Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not going to play politics on the floor of the House of Commons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-turner/i-m-not-going-to-play-politics-on-the-floor-of-the-house-of-commons/) [John Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-turner/) > [It takes a lot to silence the House of Commons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/it-takes-a-lot-to-silence-the-house-of-commons/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [It excites world wonder in the Parliamentary countries that we should build a Chamber, starting afresh, which can only seat two-thirds of its Members.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-excites-world-wonder-in-the-parliamentary-countries-that-we-should/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There are more hooligans in the House of Commons than at a football match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-clough/there-are-more-hooligans-in-the-house-of-commons-than-at-a-football/) [Brian Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-clough/) > [Public service does not necessarily mean service in the House of Commons, and public service is not synonymous with partisan political activity. 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Most of it can now be seen on the Labour benches in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-tebbit/it-s-good-to-remember-the-unburied-dead-and-the-uncollected-rubbish/) [Norman Tebbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-tebbit/) > [Only people who look dull ever get into the House of Commons, and only people who are dull ever succeed there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/only-people-who-look-dull-ever-get-into-the-house-of-commons-and-only/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I have never pretended to be a great House of Commons man, but I pay the House the greatest compliment I can by saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-house-of-commons-man-but-i-pay/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We have a saying in the House of Commons; that old ways are the safest and surest ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-coke/we-have-a-saying-in-the-house-of-commons-that-old-ways-are-the-safest/) [Edward Coke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-coke/) > [The House Of Commons has never been a tea-party. It consists of strong-minded, often very idealistic people, who are trying to accomplish something for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-allen-fraser/the-house-of-commons-has-never-been-a-tea-party-it-consists-of-strong/) [John Allen Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-allen-fraser/) > [The essence and foundation of House of Commons debating is formal conversation. The set speech, the harangue addressed to constituents, or to the wider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-essence-and-foundation-of-house-of-commons-debating-is-formal/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Thirty resolute men in your House of Commons could save the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/thirty-resolute-men-in-your-house-of-commons-could-save-the-world/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) ## 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... 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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 Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. 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But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) [Browse all 1,648 Britain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[I]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution relies on the house of commons for honesty, and the lords for wisdom; whichwould be a rational reliance if honesty were to be bought with money, and if wisdom were hereditary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their-constitution-relies-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Britain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their-constitution-relies-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/thomas-jefferson-43_britain_i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their_143406.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[I]n Great-Britain it is said that their constitution relies on the house of commons for honesty, and 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": "[I]n Great-Britain it is said that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their-constitution-relies-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-n-great-britain-it-is-said-that-their-constitution-relies-on-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 } } ] } ```