"I am persuaded myself that the good..." - Quote by Thomas Jefferson
I am persuaded myself that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves. The people are the only censors of their governors; and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution.
More by Thomas Jefferson
“The bulk of mankind are schoolboys through life.”
“Man is fed with fables through life, and leaves it in the belief he knows something of what has been passing, when in truth he knows nothing but what has passed under his own eyes.”
“It is surely time for men to think for themselves, and to throw off the authority of names so artificially magnified.”
More on People
“An awakened people who rely upon their nonviolent strength are independent in the face of any conceivable combination of the armed powers.”
“Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.”
“Better than the rest of us, they [the Jews] sensed what was ahead for their people.”
More on Democracy
“Democracy demands that little men should not take big ones too seriously; it dies when it is full of little men who think they are big themselves.”
“Liberty and democracy become unholy when their hands are dyed red with innocent blood.”
“I am of the opinion which you have always held, that "viva voce" voting at elections is the best method.[Lat., Nam ego in ista sum sententia, qua te fuisse semper scio, nihil ut feurit in suffragiis voce melius.]”