What John Adams thinks about America
Second US President (1735 to 1826); author of Thoughts on Government.
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1 dated position, c. 1776, in their own words. Our reading of what John Adams has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Our readingFear founds most governments but is too base a passion, so Americans are unlikely to approve it
Their wordsFear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.
↗Thoughts on Government (1776)en.wikisource.org All 15 from this book