Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Thomas Jefferson

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

“The banks themselves were doing business on capitals three-fourths of which were fictitious. This fictitious capital... is now to be lost, and to fall on somebody; it must take on those who have property to meet it, and probably on the less cautious part, who, not aware of the impending catastrophe, have suffered themselves to contract, or to be in debt, and must now sacrifice their property of a value many times the amount of the debt. We have been truly sowing the wind, and are now reaping the whirlwind.”

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

Create image

Author

Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States, a distinguished politician, philosopher, architect, and scientist. He was born on April 13, 1743, and died on July 4, 1826. Jefferson advocated for democracy and freedom in politics and was one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence. His political ideas had a profound impact on the founding and development of the United States. more

You May Also Like

“We are overdone with banking institutions, which have banished the precious metals, and substituted a more fluctuating and unsafe medium... These have withdrawn capital from useful improvements and employments to nourish idleness... These are evils more easily to be deplored than remedied.”

WisdomEvilPoliticsEconomyInstitutionsImprovementMediumsEmploymentLiberalismMetalsBankingIdlenessUnsafePrecious Metal
Book:The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence, cont
Create image

“We shall all consider ourselves unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves; and consequently within what may be deemed the period of a generation, or the life of the majority.”

MayWisdomPoliticsPayEconomyGenerationsPeriodsMajorityBoundsDebtLiberalismPosteritySaddles
Book:The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence and Papers, 1808-1816
Create image

“The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it should have done. Calculate that one rebellion in thirteen states in the course of eleven years, is but one for each state in a century and a half. No country should be so long without one. Nor will any degree of power in the hands of government prevent insurrections.”

ThinkingShouldYearsLongCountryStatesDoneWisdomHandsGovernmentCoursesPoliticsGivenHalfEconomyCenturyDegreesLateShould HaveLiberalismRebellionElevenAlarmsThirteenMassachusettsInsurrection
Book:Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States
Create image

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion.”

ShouldYearsHas BeensCountryStatesWisdomPoliticsHalfEconomyCenturyTwentiesIndependentLiberalismRebellionElevenThirteen
Book:Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States
Create image

“The commotions that have taken place in America, as far as they are yet known to me, offer nothing threatening. They are a proof that the people have liberty enough, and I could not wish them less than they have. If the happiness of the mass of the people can be secured at the expense of a little tempest now and then, or even of a little blood, it will be a precious purchase. 'Malo libertatem periculosam quam quietem servitutem.' Let common sense and common honesty have fair play, and they will soon set things to rights.”

PeopleIfsLittlesEnoughPlayAmericaPoliticsWishCommonKnownLibertyEconomyTakenRightsBloodHonestyOffersMassFairsProofCommon SenseLiberalismExpensesNow And ThenThreateningTempestSecuredFair Play
Book:Correspondence
Create image

“The tumults in America I expected would have produced in Europe an unfavorable opinion of our political state. But it has not. On the contrary, the small effect of these tumults seems to have given more confidence in the firmness of our governments. The interposition of the people themselves on the side of government has had a great effect on the opinion here in Europe.”

PeopleStatesWisdomSeemsGovernmentAmericaPoliticalPoliticsGivenSidesOpinionEconomyEffectsEuropeExpectedContraryLiberalismFirmnessTumult
Book:Jefferson: Political Writings
Create image

“In our time, in particular, there exists another form of ownership which is becoming no less important than land: the possession of know-how, technology and skill. The wealth of the industrialized nations is based much more on this kind of ownership than on natural resources.”

KnowsKindImportantWisdomFormPoliticsNationsNaturalWealthTechnologyKnow HowEconomyLandParticularBecomingSkillsResourcesPossessionOur TimeLiberalismOwnershipNatural Resources
Author:Pope John Paul II
Create image

“Economic activity, especially the activity of a market economy, cannot be conducted in an institutional, juridical or political vacuum. On the contrary, it presupposes sure guarantees of individual freedom and private property, as well as a stable currency and efficient public services.”

WellsWisdomPoliticalPoliticsIndividualEconomyEconomicActivityPropertyContraryLiberalismGuaranteesEfficientStableCurrencyVacuumsPublic ServicePrivate PropertyMarket EconomyIndividual Freedom
Book:The Encyclicals of John Paul II
Create image