Society and the World

Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right … and a desire to know; but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers.

Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right … and a desire to know; but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers.

In politics the middle way is none at all.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.

A government of laws, and not of men.

A government of laws, and not of men.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.

The law, in all vicissitudes of government … will preserve a steady undeviating course … On the one hand it is inexorable to the cries of the prisoners; on the other it is deaf, deaf as an adder to the clamours of the populace.

The law, in all vicissitudes of government … will preserve a steady undeviating course … On the one hand it is inexorable to the cries of the prisoners; on the other it is deaf, deaf as an adder to the clamours of the populace.

Governing a large nation is like cooking a small fish.

What you do not want done to you, do not do to other people.

The people are the foundation of the country, and food is of the highest importance to the people.

The people are the foundation of the country, and food is of the highest importance to the people.

The highest form of doing good is like water; water benefits all things but does not seek anything (for itself).

The highest form of doing good is like water; water benefits all things but does not seek anything (for itself).

The fool does not ask; he who asks is no fool.

A thousand-mile journey starts under your feet.

If you know [something], to recognize that you know it; and if you don’t know [something], to realize that you don’t know it—that is [true] knowledge.

Learning has no boundaries.

Never tire of studying, and never tire of teaching others.

Whoever is your teacher, even for a day, consider your father (to respect and care for) your whole life.