Thomas Jefferson and Banks
October 30th, 2011
Thomas Jefferson and Banks
Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest Presidents of the United States. He helped shape the ideal of a citizen’s democracy for America. He was a visionary and evidently a futurist. Here is what he said in 1802 about banking institutions:
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered”
What would he think and say about the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon?
October 30th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
David;
In the words of the 1960s: Right On!
What is the source of this quote?
Sincerely,
Jonathan
October 30th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Someone sent this quote to me in 2008. I also just sourced it on a ‘quotes’ site. type in Thomas Jefferson and banks
October 30th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
One of the things Jefferson knew with great clarity was that any successful democracy depends upon an informed citizenry, one that participates in its activities.
A former colleague used to tell participants at his workshops that their companies were perfectly structured to produce exactly the results that they were getting. Similarly, America is perfectly structured to produce the results we have. Americans have allowed themselves to be distracted for too long.
The Occupy demonstrations are a reaction that is long in the making and, strangely, has much in common with Tea Party protests. The apathy of past decades is in process of being uprooted. Jefferson would have liked that.
October 31st, 2011 at 11:27 am
Admiral Yamamoto commented after the attack on Pearl Harbor “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
The giant is beginning to stir.
November 4th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Well said David. It is amazing how they (banks, big corps and permissive governments) have gone about this manipulation and personal enrichment scheme. How come nobody stopped it? Are we all to distracted with the multitude of diversions that modern society offers or in playing the “Get Rich Pyramid” scheme ourselves, trying to reach the 1%?
It’s time to WAKE UP – indeed, it seems that Occupy Wall Street is the alarm bell that the 99% needs to gain some Awareness (of what is going on) and start considering what we need to do about it.
November 18th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
The source of the quote is a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin in 1802. Here is another:
“I sincerely believe… that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” –Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 1816.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
I don’t get it . Jefferson did not like banks because he thought people should not become entangled in an obligation of repayment to these manipulating currency barons . He thought people should work the land and provide a home and food for there family , based on the living standard of 1801 . But in a free society every man has the right to pursue his dreams , which might only be achievable by an investment from a private investment company . If you have the skill and desire , and the nerve to take a risk , then you can experience the American Dream.