Quotes By James Madison

War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.

Philosophy is common sense with big words.

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.

Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.

The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.

Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.

Union of religious sentiments begets a surprising confidence.

It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.

To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.

Every nation whose affairs betray a want of wisdom and stability may calculate on every loss which can be sustained from the more systematic policy of its wiser neighbors.

Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.

A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.

The class of citizens who provide at once their own food and their own raiment, may be viewed as the most truly independent and happy.