John Adams, Thoughts on Government (1776).

Fear is the foundation of most governments.

— John Adams on Fear

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Fear is the foundation of most governments." in the context of "John Adams, Thoughts on Government (1776)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Fear" (A) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
John Adams

About John Adams

John Adams (30 October 1735 – 4 July 1826) was an American lawyer, author, statesman, and diplomat. He served as the second president of the United States (1797–1801), the first vice president (1789–1797), and as a Founding Father was a leader of American independence from the British Empire. Adams was a political theorist in the Age of Enlightenment who promoted republicanism and a strong central government. His innovative ideas were frequently published. He was also a dedicated diarist and correspondent, particularly with his wife and key advisor Abigail. He was the father of John Quincy Adams.