The brave man, inattentive to his duty, is worth little more to his country than the coward who deserts her in the hour of danger.
Andrew JacksonRead
There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Government is not inherently evil; rather, its wrongs arise from how it is misused.
Andrew Jackson's quote emphasizes that the concept of 'necessary evils' in government is a misconception. He suggests that the problems associated with government are not intrinsic to it but are the result of the way individuals or groups misuse power and authority, highlighting the importance of accountability and integrity in governance.
Themes
GovernmentAbusePowerCorruptionAccountability
In practice
Example use cases
During a political rally emphasizing the importance of accountable governance.
More from Andrew Jackson
All quotes →The planter, the farmer, the mechanic, and the laborer...form the great body of the people of the United States they are the bone and sinew of the country men who love liberty and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws.
Andrew JacksonRead
There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness... The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way.
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The great constitutional corrective in the hands of the people against usurpation of power, or corruption by their agents is the right of suffrage; and this when used with calmness and deliberation will prove strong enough.
Andrew JacksonRead
I feel in the depths of my soul that it is the highest, most sacred, and most irreversible part of my obligation to preserve the union of these states, although it may cost me my life.
Andrew JacksonRead
When death comes, he respects neither age nor merit. He sweeps from the earthly existence the sick and the strong, the rich and the poor, and should teach us to live to be prepared for death.
Andrew JacksonRead
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