John Adams Quotes

Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. – John Adams

Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak. – John Adams

There are two types of education: one should teach us how to make a living, and the other should teach us how to live. – John Adams

I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, and his son may be a poet. – John Adams

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. – John Adams

The happiness of society is the end of government. – John Adams

The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people. – John Adams

All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise not from defects in the Constitution or Confederation, nor from a want of honor or virtue, so much as from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation. – John Adams

To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do. – John Adams

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. – John Adams

Liberty, according to my metaphysics is a self-determining power in an intellectual agent. It implies thought and choice and power. – John Adams

The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution. – John Adams

Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. – John Adams

A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man’s attention and to inflame his ambition. – John Adams

Fear is the foundation of most governments. – John Adams

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. – John Adams

Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual—or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country. – John Adams

Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men. – John Adams

The happiness of society depends on virtue. – John Adams

A government of laws, and not of men. – John Adams

Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. – John Adams

The duty of every citizen is to love his country and to obey its laws. – John Adams

Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. – John Adams

Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. – John Adams

The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. – John Adams

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. – John Adams

Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny, or in private self-defense. – John Adams

If men through fear, fraud or mistake, should in terms renounce or give up any natural right, the eternal law of reason and the divine will, are declared to be null and void. – John Adams

Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone. – John Adams

It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and virtue. If we suffer their minds to grovel and creep in infancy, they will grovel all their lives. – John Adams

We ought to consider what is the end of government, before we determine which is the best form. – John Adams

Government is nothing more than the combined force of society or the united power of the multitude. – John Adams

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. – John Adams

Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. – John Adams

The right of a nation to kill a tyrant, in cases of necessity, can no more be doubted than to hang a robber, or kill a flea. – John Adams

In politics, nothing is written in stone and nothing is assured. We must constantly fight for our principles and work towards a better future. – John Adams

When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free. – John Adams

The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion. – John Adams

Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse. – John Adams

You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments: rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe. – John Adams

A constitution of government once changed from freedom, can never be restored. Liberty once lost is lost forever. – John Adams

If you do not follow politics, then politics will follow you. – John Adams

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. – John Adams

I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman. – John Adams (in a letter to his wife, Abigail)

The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing. – John Adams