End of time Quote by Thomas Paine
““There never did, there never will, and there never can, exist a Parliament, or any description of men, or any generation of men, in any country, possessed of the right or the power of binding and controlling posterity to the "end of time," or of commanding for ever how the clauses, acts or declarations by which the makers of them attempt to do what they have neither the right nor the power to do, nor the power to execute, are in themselves null and void. Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself in all cases as the age and generations which preceded it. The vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies. Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow.””
About This Quote
Source Treat: Common Sense, 1776
The quote argues that no government or generation has the legitimate authority to bind future generations, emphasizing the absurdity of claiming perpetual power over posterity.
In simple terms: Future generations cannot be ruled by past powers.
Key Takeaway
Respect each generation’s autonomy.
Themes
freedom
government
generational rights
tyranny
legitimacy
Mood
thoughtful
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- activism
- educational curricula
- public policy debates
- family legacy planning
Key Concepts
social contract
political philosophy
intergenerational ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance present authority with future freedoms?
- What mechanisms can protect future generations without overreaching?
A Different Perspective
It assumes all societies accept the same notion of individual rights, which may not hold universally.
