Quote by 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. 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. Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the People, who have... a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean the characters and conduct of their rulers. 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. Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among people.

Summary

This quote, often attributed to John Adams, warns of the inherent fragility of democracies. It emphasizes that democratic systems tend to erode and destroy themselves over time. It suggests that those in power have a natural tendency to abuse their authority, leading to the restriction of freedom of thought, speech, and expression. The quote asserts that preserving liberty requires an informed citizenry who actively monitor and scrutinize the actions and behaviors of their leaders. The overall message is that in a free society, people must possess a comprehensive understanding of their rulers' characters and conduct to safeguard their liberties.