--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The foundation on which (our government…" description: "\"The foundation on which (our government is) built is the natural equality of man, the denial of every pre-eminence but that annexed to legal office, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/thomas-jefferson-43_birth_the-foundation-on-which-our-government-i_2538438.jpg" --- # The foundation on which (our government is) built is the… ![“The foundation on which (our government is) built is the natural equality of man, the denial of every pre-eminence but that annexed to legal office, and particularly the denial of a pre-eminence by birth.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/thomas-jefferson-43_birth_the-foundation-on-which-our-government-i_2538438.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/thomas-jefferson-43_birth_the-foundation-on-which-our-government-i_2538438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/thomas-jefferson-43_birth_the-foundation-on-which-our-government-i_2538438.jpg) > “The foundation on which (our government is) built is the natural equality of man, the denial of every pre-eminence but that annexed to legal office, and particularly the denial of a pre-eminence by birth.” [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 government should be based on equal rights, with no privileges tied to birth, only to legal office. **In simple terms:** Equality before law, no birth privilege. Key Takeaway Promote meritocracy and legal equality. Themes equality government meritocracy Mood reflective critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - education reform - civil rights activism Key Concepts natural rights legal equality political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure true equality beyond law? - What role does education play in dismantling birth‑based privilege? A Different Perspective Ignores existing systemic inequalities beyond legal frameworks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Eminence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eminence/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Equality Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-man-1185181/) [Equality of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-of-man/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Foundation Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation-government-773574/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-built-852473/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-equality-1411649/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) ## Related quotes > [Modern science has vindicated the natural equality of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/modern-science-has-vindicated-the-natural-equality-of-man/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The doctrine of the equality of man was never intended to apply to the equality of the Englishman and the Chinaman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-barton/the-doctrine-of-the-equality-of-man-was-never-intended-to-apply-to/) [Edmund Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-barton/) > [Yes, that is the equality of man. Slaughter anybody who is better than you are, and then we shall be equal soon enough. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white-2/yes-that-is-the-equality-of-man-slaughter-anybody-who-is-better-than/) [T. H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white-2/) > [The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-will-of-the-people-is-the-only-legitimate-foundation-of-any-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-will-of-the-people-is-the-only-legitimate-foundation-of-any/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government. And he has sent other choice spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-god-of-heaven-sent-some-of-his-choicest-spirits-to-lay-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [The only method of restoring the natural equality of dignity between men and women, lies in the demolishment of that elaborate theological structure which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-battelle-dietrick/the-only-method-of-restoring-the-natural-equality-of-dignity-between/) [Ellen Battelle Dietrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-battelle-dietrick/) > [“The foundation of government is . . . laid, not in imaginary rights of men, (which at best is a confusion of judicial with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-foundation-of-government-is-laid-not-in-imaginary-rights-of-men/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I HAVE no patience with the hypothesis occasionally expressed, and often implied, especially in tales written to teach children to be good, that babies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/i-have-no-patience-with-the-hypothesis-occasionally-expressed-and/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [ Religion \[is\] the basis and foundation of Government ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/religion-is-the-basis-and-foundation-of-government/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful equality for whatever physical inequality that nature may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natural-equality-substitutes-on/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It is to law alone that men owe justice and liberty. It is this salutary organ, of the will of all which establishes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/it-is-to-law-alone-that-men-owe-justice-and-liberty-it-is-this/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Our government is built upon the vote. But votes that are purchasable are quicksands, and a government built on them stands upon corruption and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-government-is-built-upon-the-vote-but-votes-that-are-purchasable/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [What if the government built this thing? I doubt it. Why? Cause it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-if-the-government-built-this-thing-i-doubt-it-why-cause-it-works/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## 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 Birth quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. 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In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. 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