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.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Jeremy Bentham about utilitarianism: “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of…”
Download
A quote by Jeremy Bentham about utilitarianism: “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of…”
Download
A quote by Jeremy Bentham about utilitarianism: “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of…”
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 from the 1770s

Rebellion to Tyrants is obedience to God.

Benjamin Franklin

More information about this quote
Topic
Rebellion Tyrants

Author

Benjamin Franklin
Source
Bradshaw's Epitaph
Medium
Epitaph
Language
English
Time
1775 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin, [published anonymously]. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Pennsylvania Evening Post. Philadelphia, 14 Dec. 1775.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Another quote about Moral 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

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Declaration of Independence

Read The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives website
More information about this quote
Topic
Declaration of Independence American Revolution
Source
Declaration of Independence
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
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.