--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is important that we should never lose…" description: "\"It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments...\" — Thomas Paine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/thomas-paine-267_distinction_it-is-important-that-we-should-never-los_2138224.png" --- # It is important that we should never lose sight of this… ![“It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments...” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/thomas-paine-267_distinction_it-is-important-that-we-should-never-los_2138224.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/thomas-paine-267_distinction_it-is-important-that-we-should-never-los_2138224.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/thomas-paine-267_distinction_it-is-important-that-we-should-never-los_2138224.png) > “It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments...” [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. Distinguish between a people and its governing bodies to avoid misattributing actions. **In simple terms:** People differ from governments. Key Takeaway Remember the distinction. Themes politics identity governance Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - debates - policy analysis - civic education Key Concepts social contract citizenry state authority Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate a nation's actions from its leaders? - When does a government truly represent its people? A Different Perspective Governments can reflect the will of the people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confuse Peoples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confuse-peoples-4440196/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Distinction Confuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction-confuse-4440195/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Peoples Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peoples-governments-4315137/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) ## Related quotes > [We're not going to meddle in the internal life of other peoples and other governments, because we don't want them meddling in ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/we-re-not-going-to-meddle-in-the-internal-life-of-other-peoples-and/) [Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/) > [But there is another and greater distinction for which no truly natural or religious reason can be assigned, and that is the distinction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-is-another-and-greater-distinction-for-which-no-truly/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Where there are no distinctions there can be no superiority; perfect equality affords no temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/where-there-are-no-distinctions-there-can-be-no-superiority-perfect/) [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/) > [In the last few years, race relations in America have entered upon a period of intensified craziness wherein fear of being called a racist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/in-the-last-few-years-race-relations-in-america-have-entered-upon-a/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [I don't draw any distinctions between forms of bigotry or forms of ideology that lose sight of the humanity of people. I can't stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-don-t-draw-any-distinctions-between-forms-of-bigotry-or-forms-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) ## 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. 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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 Distinction quotes > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [I think it is important for all those young out there - who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-think-it-is-important-for-all-those-young-out-there-who-someday/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. 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You can respect the office even as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-greenberg/people-should-make-distinctions-between-the-office-of-the-presidency/) [David Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-greenberg/) [Browse all 1,181 Distinction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. 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