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While the farmer holds the title to the land, actually, it belongs to all the people because civilization itself rests upon the soil.
Thomas Jefferson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Land ownership reflects a collective responsibility, as civilization is built upon it.

This quote by Thomas Jefferson suggests that although a farmer may have legal ownership of the land, the importance of that land transcends individual property rights. It emphasizes the idea that land is a communal resource that plays a crucial role in the foundation of civilization, implying that everyone benefits from and is responsible for the stewardship of the earth.

Themes

LandOwnershipCivilizationCommunityResponsibility

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be used in a discussion about sustainable farming practices at a community meeting.

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The firmness with which the (American) people have withstood the... abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false and to form a correct judgment between them.
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A nation, as a society, forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society.
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