I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough… the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.
Thomas Jefferson
To Inform Their Discretion
Topic: Justice, Vision, & Leadership
I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.
Thomas Jefferson, born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Colony of Virginia, British America, emerged as a significant figure in the early political landscape of the United States. His intellectual pursuits and commitment to the Enlightenment ideals of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights significantly influenced the nation's trajectory towards independence from Great Britain. As the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson articulated a vision of individual freedoms and egalitarian principles that aimed to serve as the bedrock of the new republic. His political career further evolved as he took on the role of the second vice president of the United States under John Adams from 1797 to 1801, marking his deepening involvement in the nation's governance.
Ascending to the presidency in 1801, Jefferson's tenure as the third president of the United States till 1809 was marked by efforts to establish a government of restraint, aimed at safeguarding the liberties enshrined in the founding documents. During his presidency, the Louisiana Purchase was accomplished, significantly expanding the nation's territory. Yet, his presidency also saw controversies, including the Embargo Act which proved unpopular. Jefferson's philosophical underpinnings, deeply influenced by Epicurean, Stoic and Enlightenment thought, often informed his political decisions and the articulation of a vision for the republic that prioritized individual liberty and a restrained government.
Passing away on July 4, 1826, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., at the age of 83, Jefferson's legacy continues to be a subject of discussion and analysis. His resting place at Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia, serves as a reminder of his contributions to the formative stages of the United States. Jefferson's life reflects a complex interplay of intellectual vigor, political acumen, and a deep-seated belief in certain philosophical principles. His writings, particularly the Declaration of Independence, continue to serve as fundamental texts underscoring the values upon which the nation was founded, and his presidency marked significant events in the early history of the United States. His influence endures, shaping discussions on individual rights, government's role, and the philosophical underpinnings of the nation's core beliefs.
Letter to William Charles Jarvis
Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 1056 [Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Charles Jarvis, Sept. 28, 1820].
Thomas Jefferson
Theme: A Vision of America
About This Thomas Jefferson Quotation [Commentary]
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves,” firmly grounding his political philosophy in public trust. In his 1820 letter, Jefferson cautioned against placing final authority in the hands of any one group, especially the judiciary, which he called “a very dangerous doctrine.” Rather than entrusting constitutional interpretation to judges—“not responsible…to the elective control”—he insisted that the people must remain the source of all power. If their discretion appears lacking, “the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”
Jefferson’s emphasis is not only on the people’s role but also on what equips them to carry it: education. He observed that if the people are “not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion,” the solution is not to reduce their power, but to improve their judgment. He called education “the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.” This view rejects the idea that self-governance is automatic. It must be learned, shaped by “habit and long training,” and supported by deliberate public effort.
Thomas Jefferson’s concern was that power, if removed from the people, would drift toward “the despotism of an oligarchy.” He warned that when judges or any branch assume ultimate authority, they endanger the balance the Constitution was designed to preserve. The government’s structure, he wrote, must keep “all the departments co-equal and co-sovereign within themselves.” Its safety depends on citizens who are educated and vigilant, for only an informed people can prevent any one group from ruling in their place.
Thomas Jefferson’s warning to William Charles Jarvis is relevant today
Thomas Jefferson argues that the only “safe depository of the ultimate powers of society” is “the people themselves,” not judges or any insulated corps that could slide into “the despotism of an oligarchy.” To preserve constitutional balance, the branches must remain “co-equal and co-sovereign within themselves,” with none assuming the authority of another. When the people seem “not enlightened enough…to exercise their controul with a wholsome discretion,” the remedy is “not to take it from them,” but “to inform their discretion by education,” the “true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”
Today, amid concentrated economic and algorithmic power, self-government still depends on an educated, informed people—“inform[ing] their discretion by education”—rather than ceding final authority to insulated elites or institutions.
An Additional Thomas Jefferson Quotation
“The qualifications for self government in society are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.”
–Thomas Jefferson [Letter to Edward Everett, March 27, 1824].
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