Do you agree with this quote or not?

Question

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 1

Well... finally a quote from Tommy boy that I can agree with! Afterall, the goober-ment has a propensity for sticking its large proboscus where it doesn't belong!


Have a right-wing day!

Answer 2

No, I don't agree with ol' Tom nicklehead there.

Government is best which is inspired by good L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P.

That makes Montechuckle a Republican.
Adams was a democrat. (And chubby lookin' too.)

To govern is to wield authority.

To lead is to actually handle responsibility well,
and bring many people to perform smoothly together for common purpose. (Not neccessarily to force a purpose upon them.)

People often already know, in some sense, what they want to do. A good leader helps drive that direction in such a manner that people find they are able to combine their energies well toward that purpose

and in consequence, take pride in their common shared, accomplishment.

We can reward the few at the expense of the many. And it is not wrong. But then can we never say we've taken it too far?
There is freedom for pursuing the greater reward where others will have less, and then it is so essential to how everyone thinks of "freedom" that it can be taken to any extreem. All this while completely circumventing any sense of royalty too..

I think most of the founding fathers might be a little baffled with where we've taken their enlightened experiment.

Answer 3

Not a bad quote, but in Jefferson's time there wasn't that much to 'govern'. For instance. In Jefferson's there was no such a thing as a 'driver's licence'. Today, we have 50 DMVs. We have mandatory auto insurance..an industry that requires oversight or it would be become a mafia venue. Because we have cars, we have auto accidents...which mean that people land up in hospitals. Hospitals have to operate under enforceable laws...more 'government'! Then there's doctor's, nurses and other medical specialists, and nobody has ever suggested that these people be allowed to operate without oversight. Because we have roads, someone has to build and maintain them. This requires contracts and contractors. Contractors must be licenced or there would be fly-by-night crooks using inferior products....the states have seen fit to regulate contractors....but wait....there's more government! What about police? More government! The list is almost endless just on transportation alone. Airlines? FAA regulations. All kinds of government there....rail traffic? Ships at sea? The Pure Food and Drug Act....more gov't! Mining? A matrix of local, state and federal law exists because this is a first world country. It's 'first world' because of government, not in spite of it. It's a different world....to bad for that, but that's the reality of it! Somalia has almost no government...believe me...it ain't a fun place! Be careful what you wish for!

Answer 4

I whole heatedly agree because a Government means more control,manipulation ,interference and corruption.Some people think that many people can't be self disciplined and hence the need for a government but that is a fallacious assumption.Public institutions and self regulated bodies and groups can be more effective in dealing with errant members than a Government,who can only punish and not persuade or motivate people.

Answer 5

Jefferson also said, "I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government in a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

Unfortunately, hope is not a plan and there was is no legal underpinning besides regulating interstate commerce for crushing the moneyed corporate aristocracy added to the Constitution.

So don't think that Jefferson would be against strong governmental regulation of corporations. The people that are running corporations certainly aren't regulating themselves. Not that our government has been doing much about it lately.

Answer 6

Yes. I think that T. Jefferson assumed a common morality existed by which individuals would govern themselves.

Today laws have replaced morality for many. And so we need a policeman on every corner.

Answer 7

Perhaps people disciplined themselves in Jeffersons time, but it's not true today.

Answer 8

Yes, and I would like to add that the closer you get to the environment of people the better the government works.

Answer 9

I agree 100%


the largest employer in the entire world is the U.S. Govt

Answer 10

I agree. I want the government to stay out of my cookie jar.