End of time Quote by Thomas Paine
““(To the newly graduated) 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 world shall be governed, or who shall govern it; and therefore all such 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 ages and generations which preceded it...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, Thomas Paine, 1776
No generation has the right to bind future generations; each era must be free to determine its own governance.
In simple terms: Future generations cannot be bound by current laws.
Key Takeaway
Respect generational autonomy.
Themes
freedom
generational rights
political legitimacy
self‑determination
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- Constitution drafting
- policy making
- activism
- education on civic rights
Key Concepts
Sovereignty
intergenerational ethics
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do we owe future generations?
- How can we balance present freedom with future impact?
A Different Perspective
Practical constraints may limit absolute freedom for future generations.
