"If you can't trust people to govern…

“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he then be trusted with the government of others?” was said by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) at his first inaugural address as U.S. president on March 4, 1801.

“If people cannot be trusted to govern themselves, How can they be trusted to govern other people?” (shown on an image) was posted on Facebook by Truthseekers Unite on January 15, 2013. “If people cannot be trusted to govern themselves, how can they possibly be trusted to govern others?” was posted on Facebook by The Foundation for a Free Society on July 17, 2015. “IF YOU CAN’T TRUST PEOPLE TO GOVERN THEMSELVES, HOW CAN YOU TRUST THEM TO GOVERN OTHERS?” (shown on an image) was posted on Twitter by Mary J. Ruwart Ph.D. on February 20, 2018. “If people can’t be trusted to govern themselves how can they be trusted to govern others?” was posted on Twitter by Breeder Steve on May 23, 2018.

“It seems that you are saying ‘People can’t be trusted to govern themselves, but they can be trusted to govern others.’ Illogical” was posted on Twitter by figment on November 12, 2015. “PEOPLE CAN NOT BE TRSUTED TO GOVERN THEMSELVES, BUT PEOPLE CAN BE TRUSTED TO GOVERN OTHERS” (shown on an image) is a joke that was posted on Twitter by Rothmus 🏴 on March 10, 2023.

“If you can’t trust people with freedom, how can you trust people with power?” is a related saying.

The Papers of Thomas Jefferson
First Inaugural Address
The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 33: 17 February to 30 April 1801
(Princeton University Press, 2006), 148-52
(...)
Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels, in the form of kings, to govern him? Let history answer this question.

Facebook
The Federalist Papers
November 2, 2012 at 9:54 PM ·
“Some times it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself - Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others - Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him - Let history answer this question.”
– Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801; ME 3:320

Facebook
Truthseekers Unite
January 15, 2013 at 3:12 AM ·
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
If people cannot be trusted
to govern themselves
How can they be trusted
to govern other people?

Facebook
The Foundation for a Free Society
July 17, 2015 at 10:21 AM ·
If people cannot be trusted to govern themselves, how can they possibly be trusted to govern others?
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
IT IS OFTEN SAID…
“People can’t govern themselves”
YET SOMEHOW…
People are able
to govern others?

Twitter
Stephen L Belle Isle
@sbelleisle
“People cannot be trusted to govern themselves, but people can be trusted to govern others. Well, not just any… http://fb.me/2zPAVr2pJ
11:14 PM · Nov 7, 2015

Twitter
figment
@LikelyNobody
Replying to @SpryGuy
@SpryGuy It seems that you are saying “People can’t be trusted to govern themselves, but they can be trusted to govern others.” Illogical.
9:18 PM · Nov 12, 2015

Twitter
iamfreedom
@iamfreedom777
“If you believe that people cannot be trusted to govern themselves, then can they be trusted to govern others?”—Thomas Jefferson
8:33 AM · Jun 17, 2016

Twitter
Mary J. Ruwart Ph.D.
@MaryRuwart
We are told that we must have some type of #government because people are evil and cannot be trusted. So we ask, if individuals can’t be trusted to govern themselves, how can we possibly trust them to govern others? http://ruwart.com ← learn more about #libertarianism
(The following text is show on an image.—ed.)
IF YOU CAN’T TRUST PEOPLE
TO GOVERN THEMSELVES
HOW CAN YOU TRUST THEM
TO GOVERN OTHERS?
3:00 PM · Feb 20, 2018

Twitter
Brett B.
@GooN849
So, GAPsWorld, If you can’t trust people to govern themselves, how can you trust the state to govern other people. Can’t wait to hear your take on this one.
2:03 AM · May 12, 2018

Twitter
Breeder Steve
@breeder_steve
Replying to @luckylepreshahn @CannabisNews and @trinafraser
Not blaming her for the system, she’s as much a victim of it as anyone.
Textbook #stockholmsyndrome, I’m afraid.
I’m just against government in general. If people can’t be trusted to govern themselves how can they be trusted to govern others?
Insanity reigns.
7:11 PM · May 23, 2018

Twitter
Jeremy Newcombe
@jeremy_newcombe
Replying to @tome58967189 @MaxtheHippo and @sammajammaz
So get rid of the positions of power. If you can’t trust people to govern themselves, then why in the hell do you entrust them to govern others?
1:42 AM · Mar 20, 2021

Twitter
Wounded Carer
@WoundedCarer
Replying to @ammejo1 @WinterOakPress and 2 others
Right. And so few people can see the bad logic of:
People CAN’T be trusted to govern themselves
BUT
People CAN be trusted to govern others
Very sad state of affairs :(
3:45 PM · Jan 14, 2023

Twitter
Rothmus 🏴
@Rothmus
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
PEOPLE CAN NOT BE TRSUTED
TO GOVERN THEMSELVES
BUT PEOPLE CAN BE TRUSTED
TO GOVERN OTHERS
1:29 PM · Mar 10, 2023

“If you can’t trust people to govern themselves, how can you trust them to govern others?”