It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.

Jeremy Bentham

A Fragment on Government

More information about this quote

Topic

Utilitarianism Moral theory

Author

Jeremy Bentham

Source

A Fragment on Government

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Bentham, Jeremy. A Fragment on Government. London: T. Payne, P. Elmsly, and E. Brooke, 1776, preface.

Current Citation

Bentham, Jeremy. "A Fragment on Government." A Comment on the Commentaries and A Fragment on Government, edited by J.H. Burns and H.L.A Hart. Clarendon Press, 2009, preface.

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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 from the 1770s

Every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it... he intends only his own security... and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.

Adam Smith

The Wealth of Nations

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More information about this quote
Topic
Invisible hand Self-interest Unintended consequences

Author

Adam Smith
Source
The Wealth of Nations
Genre
Economic literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. Vol. 2, London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell 1776, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations, edited by Edwin Cannan. The Modern Library, 2000, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Another quote about Moral theory

An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible.

William James

The Principles of Psychology

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Read The Principles of Psychology at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Moral theory Decisions and choices

Author

William James
Source
The Principles of Psychology
Genre
Psychological literature
Language
English
Time
1890 1890s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

James, William. The Principles of Psychology. Vol. 1, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1890, ch. 9.

Another quote from 1776

I agree with you, that in Politicks the Middle Way is none at all.

John Adams

More information about this quote
Topic
The political center Political ideology Politics

Author

John Adams
Source
Letters of John Adams
Medium
Letter
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Adams, John. Letter to Horatio Gates. 23 Mar. 1776.

Current Citation

“From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 23 March 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-04-02-0023.