The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and the executive, and independent upon both, that so it may be a check upon both, as both should be checks upon that.

John Adams

More information about this quote

Topic

Checks and balances Political theory American politics Politics

Author

John Adams

Source

Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies

Medium

Pamphlet

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Occupation

Founding Father American President National leader Politician

From

United States

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Adams, John. Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 1776.

Current Citation

Adams, John. "Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies, April 1776." John Adams: Revolutionary Writings 1775-1783, edited by Gordon S. Wood. Library of America, 2011.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by John Adams about checks and balances: “The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative…”
Download
A quote by John Adams about checks and balances: “The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative…”
Download
A quote by John Adams about checks and balances: “The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by John Adams

A government of laws, and not of men.

John Adams

More information about this quote
Topic
Rule of law Law

Author

John Adams
Source
To the Inhabitants of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay Boston Gazette
Medium
Essay Newspaper
Language
English
Time
1775 1770s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Adams, John, [published as Novanglus]. "To the Inhabitants of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay." Boston Gazette, 6 Mar. 1775.

Current Citation

Adams, John. "Novanglus No. VII, March 6, 1775." John Adams: Revolutionary Writings 1755-1775, edited by Gordon S. Wood. Library of America, 2011.

Another quote from the 1770s

I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition.

Voltaire

More information about this quote
Topic
Approaching death

Author

Voltaire
Language
French
Time
1778 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 1
Citation

Voltaire. Note to his secretary, Jean-Louis Wagniere. 28 Feb. 1778.

Another quote about Political theory

What I say is that "just" or "right" means nothing but what is to the interest of the stronger party.

Thrasymachus

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

Buy the Republic at Amazon Buy the Republic at Amazon
Read the Republic at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Might makes right Justice Political theory Moral theory Morality
Speaker
Thrasymachus

Author

Plato
Source
Republic
Medium
Philosophical dialogue Dialogue
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
375 BC 370s BC 4th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Thrasymachus. Quoted in Πολιτεία [Republic], written by Plato. c. 375 BCE.

Current Citation

Thrasymachus. Quoted in Republic, written by Plato, translated by Desmond Lee. Penguin Classics, 2007.

Another quote from 1776

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Declaration of Independence

Read The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives website
More information about this quote
Topic
Declaration of Independence American politics
Source
Declaration of Independence
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

United States Declaration of Independence. 1776.

Current Citation

The National Archives. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcript. 24 July 2020, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.