--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When all government ...in little as in…" description: "\"When all government ...in little as in great things... shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless the checks pro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/690/thomas-jefferson-43_american-government_when-all-government-in-little-as-in-grea_610403.jpg" --- # When all government ...in little as in great things… ![“When all government ...in little as in great things... shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/690/thomas-jefferson-43_american-government_when-all-government-in-little-as-in-grea_610403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/690/thomas-jefferson-43_american-government_when-all-government-in-little-as-in-grea_610403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/690/thomas-jefferson-43_american-government_when-all-government-in-little-as-in-grea_610403.jpg) > “When all government ...in little as in great things... shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.” [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. Centralizing power creates a single, unaccountable authority that becomes corrupt. **In simple terms:** Power concentrates and corrupts. Key Takeaway Distribute authority to prevent abuse. Themes political power centralization checks and balances Mood cautionary political Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - legislative design - constitutional drafting - policy making - public administration Key Concepts federalism government structure corruption risk Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent power concentration? - How does centralization affect local autonomy? 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Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/an-oppressive-government-is-more-to-be-feared-than-a-tiger/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“It is a simple truth that the human mind can face better the most oppressive government, the most rigid restrictions, than the awful prospect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/it-is-a-simple-truth-that-the-human-mind-can-face-better-the-most/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) ## 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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