John Adams Quotes & Sayings

“Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.”

“Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.”

“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”

“Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.”

“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.”

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”

“The happiness of society is the end of government.”

“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.”

“All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.”