--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny…" description: "\"Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice.\" — Thomas Paine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png" --- # Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice. ![“Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png) > “Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aristocracy relies on inherited power and oppression, perpetuating injustice through family control **In simple terms:** Power inherited breeds injustice Key Takeaway Question inherited authority Themes politics justice social hierarchy Mood critical thought‑provoking Type pamphlet political theory When to use this quote - government reform - activism - education Key Concepts elitism family dominance Questions to Reflect On - Is any inherited privilege justified? - How can societies transition away from family‑based rule? A Different Perspective Not all aristocracies are equally oppressive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) ## Related quotes > [tyranny and injustice always produce cunning and falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/tyranny-and-injustice-always-produce-cunning-and-falsehood/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [A family is a tyranny ruled over by it's weakest member.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-family-is-a-tyranny-ruled-over-by-it-s-weakest-member/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I came to the conclusion that war was an unacceptable way of solving whatever problems there were in the world--that there would be problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-came-to-the-conclusion-that-war-was-an-unacceptable-way-of-solving/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [A just city should favor justice and the just, hate tyranny and injustice, and give them both their just deserts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-farabi/a-just-city-should-favor-justice-and-the-just-hate-tyranny-and/) Al-Farabi > [Monarchy degenerates into tyranny, aristocracy into oligarchy, and democracy into savage violence and chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/monarchy-degenerates-into-tyranny-aristocracy-into-oligarchy-and/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [The artificial noble shrinks into a dwarf before the noble of nature; and in the few instances (for there are some in all countries)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-artificial-noble-shrinks-into-a-dwarf-before-the-noble-of-nature/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Just as a royal rule, if not a mere name, must exist by virtue of some great personal superiority in the king, so tyranny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/just-as-a-royal-rule-if-not-a-mere-name-must-exist-by-virtue-of-some/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Aristocracy has a tendency to degenerate the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/aristocracy-has-a-tendency-to-degenerate-the-human-species/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The greatest characters the world has known, have rose on the democratic floor. Aristocracy has not been able to keep a proportionate pace with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-greatest-characters-the-world-has-known-have-rose-on-the/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The aristocracy are not the farmers who work the land, and raise the produce, but are the mere consumers of the rent; and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-aristocracy-are-not-the-farmers-who-work-the-land-and-raise-the/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/he-that-rebels-against-reason-is-a-real-rebel-but-he-that-in-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [There is no greater tyranny than that of the dead over the living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/there-is-no-greater-tyranny-than-that-of-the-dead-over-the-living/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“Injustice is not allowed on my watch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/injustice-is-not-allowed-on-my-watch/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [That humanity and sincerity which dispose men to resist injustice and tyranny render them unfit to cope with the cunning and power of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-humanity-and-sincerity-which-dispose-men-to-resist-injustice-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/those-who-expect-to-reap-the-blessings-of-freedom-must-like-men/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-has-been-the-practice-of-all-christian-commentators-on-the-bible/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Wisdom is not the purchase of a day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/wisdom-is-not-the-purchase-of-a-day/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/our-citizenship-in-the-united-states-is-our-national-character-our/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/suspicion-is-the-companion-of-mean-souls-and-the-bane-of-all-good/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“To pass from the extremes of danger to safety-from the tumult of war to the tranquility of peace, though sweet in contemplation, requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-pass-from-the-extremes-of-danger-to-safety-from-the-tumult-of-war/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What more does man want to know than that the hand or power that made these things is divine, is omnipotent? Let him believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-more-does-man-want-to-know-than-that-the-hand-or-power-that-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) [Explore all 772 Thomas Paine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More Aristocracy quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [Tomorrow every Duchess in London will be waiting to kiss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/tomorrow-every-duchess-in-london-will-be-waiting-to-kiss-me/) [Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/) > [“Why do these big old country houses always have family portraits in the dining room? Do you really want to eat with someone's gloomy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/why-do-these-big-old-country-houses-always-have-family-portraits-in/) [Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power … but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-2/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We stand a better chance with aristocracy, whether hereditary or elective, than with monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-stiles/we-stand-a-better-chance-with-aristocracy-whether-hereditary-or/) [Ezra Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-stiles/) > [ The law for religious freedom... \[has\]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-law-for-religious-freedom-has-put-down-the-aristocracy-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Common sense, in so far as it exists, is all for the bourgeoisie. Nonsense is the privilege of the aristocracy. The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) [Browse all 426 Aristocracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Paine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny-and-injustice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aristocracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny-and-injustice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/thomas-paine-267_aristocracy_aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny_407643.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Aristocracy is kept up by family tyranny and injustice.” — Thomas Paine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Paine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Aristocracy is kept up by family...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny-and-injustice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/aristocracy-is-kept-up-by-family-tyranny-and-injustice/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```