“The chief business of a government is like that of a nurse, to hinder those who are under its care from doing mischief to themselves.”

—  Soame Jenyns

"Reflections on Several Subjects", in Miscellaneous Pieces, Vol. II (1761), p. 250

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The chief business of a government is like that of a nurse, to hinder those who are under its care from doing mischief …" by Soame Jenyns?
Soame Jenyns photo
Soame Jenyns 5
British writer 1704–1787

Related quotes

Calvin Coolidge photo

“Parties do not maintain themselves. They are maintained by effort. The government is not self-existent. It is maintained by the effort of those who believe in it. The people of America believe in American institutions, the American form of government and the American method of transacting business.”

Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American politician, 30th president of the United States (in office from 1923 to 1929)

As quoted in Manuscripts: speeches and messages of Calvin Coolidge, 1895–1924, the Massachusetts State Library, George Fingold Library, Boston.
1920s, Speech to the the Republican Commercial Travelers' Club (1920)

Fred Rogers photo

“Justice is taking care of those who aren't able to take care of themselves.”

Fred Rogers (1928–2003) American television personality

http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2006/commentary06012002.htm

Morrison Waite photo
Ilana Mercer photo

“The military is government. The military works like government; is financed like government, and sports many of the same inherent malignancies of government, chief of which is its liberalism. Like the government, the military is freighted with pathological political correctness.”

Ilana Mercer South African writer

“Assange is Us,” http://www.ilanamercer.com/phprunner/public_article_list_view.php?editid1=578 WorldNetDaily.com, December 10, 2010.
2010s, 2010

Friedrich List photo
Harry Truman photo

“No government is perfect. One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected.”

Harry Truman (1884–1972) American politician, 33rd president of the United States (in office from 1945 to 1953)

Speech to a joint session of the US Congress (12 March 1947), outlining what became known as The Truman Doctrine

Calvin Coolidge photo
Thomas Paine photo
Charles Hamilton (writer) photo

Related topics