Jefferson Quotes

I wanted a pithy quote for my post yesterday. Here are some from Thomas Jefferson, whose home was Monticello. Ol' TJ was a pretty smart guy:

Every generation needs a new revolution.

When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.

History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.

An injured friend is the bitterest of foes.

An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.

Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.

He who knows best knows how little he knows.

Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.

Information is the currency of democracy.


It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.

So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.


Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.

Ciao