Thomas Jefferson

In Jefferson’s day, American politicians were hoping to make the nations of Europe more democratic. Today, the U.S. government is more often trying to encourage democracy in the Middle East, other parts of Asia, or Africa. In this 1811 quote, Jefferson warned that the use of violence is not the best way to convince other nations to conform with American principles:

“For us to attempt by war to reform all Europe, and bring them back to principles of morality and a respect for the equal rights of nations, would show us to be only maniacs of another character.”