--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Were parties here divided merely by a…" description: "\"Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man.\" — Thomas Jef..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/thomas-jefferson-43_divided_were-parties-here-divided-merely-by-a-gr_2537601.jpg" --- # Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for… ![“Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/thomas-jefferson-43_divided_were-parties-here-divided-merely-by-a-gr_2537601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/thomas-jefferson-43_divided_were-parties-here-divided-merely-by-a-gr_2537601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cf/thomas-jefferson-43_divided_were-parties-here-divided-merely-by-a-gr_2537601.jpg) > “Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man.” [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. Political parties arise from selfish ambition, making moral participation difficult. **In simple terms:** Greed fuels parties. Key Takeaway Prioritize virtue over ambition. Themes politics ethics greed partisanship Mood reflective philosophical Type historical political When to use this quote - voting - public service - civic engagement Key Concepts moral philosophy social contract Questions to Reflect On - Can parties ever be virtuous? - How to mitigate greed in politics? A Different Perspective May oversimplify motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided/) [Divided Merely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided-merely-1402215/) [Greediness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greediness/) [Greediness Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greediness-office-1402218/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Merely Greediness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-greediness-1402214/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Parties Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parties-divided-297275/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Unworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unworthy/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“And so these parties divided upon that midnight plain, each passing back the way the other had come, pursuing as all travelers must inversions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/and-so-these-parties-divided-upon-that-midnight-plain-each-passing/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Of the two great political parties which have divided the opinions and feelings of our country, the candid and the just will now admit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/of-the-two-great-political-parties-which-have-divided-the-opinions/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Brexit has divided the country. 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