Constitution Quote by Thomas Paine
“Government without a constitution, is a power without a right.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Rights of Man, 1791
A government lacking a constitution has authority but no moral legitimacy.
In simple terms: Without a constitution, power is unjust.
Key Takeaway
Demand constitutional limits on authority.
Themes
government
constitution
legitimacy
rights
law
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- legal framework
- citizen activism
Key Concepts
social contract
political theory
authority
Questions to Reflect On
- How does a constitution protect citizens?
- Can power be just without written limits?
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
