--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What has been the effect of coericion…" description: "\"What has been the effect of coericion [sic]? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and errors all over th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/thomas-jefferson-43_earth_what-has-been-the-effect-of-coericion-si_851023.jpg" --- # What has been the effect of coericion \[sic\]? To make one… ![“What has been the effect of coericion [sic]? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and errors all over the earth... [Instead] reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged; and how can…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/thomas-jefferson-43_earth_what-has-been-the-effect-of-coericion-si_851023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/thomas-jefferson-43_earth_what-has-been-the-effect-of-coericion-si_851023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/thomas-jefferson-43_earth_what-has-been-the-effect-of-coericion-si_851023.jpg) > “What has been the effect of coericion \[sic\]? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and errors all over the earth... \[Instead\] reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves.” [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. Coercion creates division and hypocrisy; free inquiry and reason are essential for a just society. **In simple terms:** Coercion divides; reason unites. Key Takeaway Promote reason and free inquiry. Themes politics ethics freedom of speech Mood thoughtful inspiring Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative debates - educational reform - public discourse Key Concepts philosophy democracy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect free inquiry? - What role does reason play in resolving conflict? A Different Perspective Reason alone may not overcome entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Hypocrite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrite/) [Inquiry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inquiry/) [Persuasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasion/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-not-one-redeeming-feature-in-our-superstition-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-has-been-the-effect-of-coercion-to-make-one-half-the-world-fools/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ What has been the effect of \[religious\] coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-has-been-the-effect-of-religious-coercion-to-make-one-half-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What has been the effect of religious coercion? 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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 Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. 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