"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history,
whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite."
by:
Thomas Jefferson
(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President
Source:
False quote. Appeared in print in a 1980 tract on regulation by Bernard Siegan, a law professor, after quoting Jefferson's well-known epistle to John Adams about different kinds of aristocracy, Siegan wrote: "In other words, man should be allowed to govern himself, and he should not be ruled by a small elite."
see: http://www.tcfrank.com/essays/Check_It_Yourself
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Reader comments about this quote:
Absolutely. In Israel we suffer from being ruled by a small elite. It's quite unbearable.
 -- Reb Aaron, Jerusalem     
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    The democratic oligarchy that has replaced the once de jure government of, by, and for 'We The People' has but once again proved Jefferson's point.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    If we can't take care of eachother and our selves as a Country,we deserve to be governed by a group of the Elite.
     -- My Name, Your Town,USA     
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    any more (of the pepole for the people and by the people) is a joke in america
     -- mark dula, stony point     
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    Complaining will never change this fact. Stop blaming 'them' -- it is 'our' responsibility to know and defend our rights. It should be illegal to waive one's rights by contract, so that if we make the mistake, it can be nullified. WE are responsible -- if we give up that responsibility, there are those who are only too happy to take it upon themselves to lay claim to our lives and liberty. I am talking about YOU -- if you are in debt, you are part of the problem. Pay off your debts, live beneath your means, and stay humble and free. It starts and ends there. The American Dream is killing us -- what we need is American Reality. ;-)
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Destroy the educational system and you destroy the ability to self govern. Our system indoctrinates.
     -- warren, olathe     
  • 4
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    wat
     -- someone, yourtown     
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    It cannot be verified that Jefferson ever said this quote. Read http://billtotten.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/check-it-yourself/
     -- Arlen G, Monterey, CA     
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    Regardless of who said it (Good writers imitate. Great writers steal.) not much has changed in human nature since we split from other apes.
     -- anonymous     
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     -- jim k, Austin, Tx      
    E Archer made a great point about debt. Debt is slavery . Don't complain about interest on the credit card, pay it off monthly and there won't be any interest.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    Nice quote, but is this really TJ? Where and when did he say this?
     -- George Hollister, Comptche     
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    Mike makes the point so well over and over again. Oppression, the yoke of usury, interest on a loan, oppression with a sting, Liberty and freedom have been so far removed in such a short period of time from the eyes and ears of our children, they no not, what it is. Credit based economy is not wise but only perpetuates socialism in the fullest extent. And shows the power of the ( banksters ) thugs, and gangsters, to control the slave and police state. A direct tax on income and property reduces the sovereign freeborn to a slave. And as in ancient Rome one must purchase their freedom, sound familiar ? If the oath, I and we have taken to uphold our Constitution and the Liberty and Freedom, These doctrines so sacred for our children has been lost to greed by way of sanctioned usury and corporate privilege which blinds our leaders through greed and fear of lose of their privilege. If the leaders in our ranks are not willing to have the backbone to take a stand and return to our children their rightful state and standing of liberty and freedom , then the oath to defend the Constitution is worthless. If that is what they think or is their resolve, then we are reduced to each man and woman for themselves as if on a foreign shore in a Godless country where there is no fear of God before their eyes. Where is our Core, in time of need ? Where are our defenders of this lost liberty and freedom we so wish to hold onto. Even surfs and slaves in a benevolent kingdom are not kick to the curb and allowed the stealing away of their bed. The king is served by the field as Solomon says, And if the princes rise early and eat for drunkenness, not taking care of the children. They are as a servant in a place of rulership. Does the king tax his children or strangers ? Strangers, then the children are free. As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ states. Get the point, you can not have it both ways. We have been reduced to a slave police state as was Israel 2000 years ago.!! Though still under the grace of God in our country, who ordained liberty and freedom for the children of the kingdom, they would not, and returned to enslave their brother. Time and time again. Man seems never to learn not to oppress. Which has been this experiment of administering through the grace of God committed to the apostle Paul these doctrines of liberty and freedom.!! Which our founding fathers held so dear. You can not get out of this box by perpetuating or following that which oppresses the freeborn sovereign.
     -- watchman 13, USA     
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    Thanks to all of you who wrote in to confirm that this quote is false. The source has been updated and the quote tagged as false.

    It appeared in print in a 1980 tract on regulation by Bernard Siegan, a well-known law professor, after quoting Jefferson's epistle to John Adams about different kinds of aristocracy.

    Siegan wrote: "In other words, man should be allowed to govern himself, and he should not be ruled by a small elite."
    see: http://www.tcfrank.com/essays/Check_It_Yourself
     -- Editor, Liberty Quotes     
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    Who ever said it! the latter is today, and will be until the sheeple wake up... To be governed by a small elite is NEVER at the interest of the people...
     -- robert, somewhere inthe USA     
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     -- robert, somewhere inthe USA      
    Is the point here, that we should be more vigilant of misrepresentation and guard against it?
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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