For, in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery: but in fact, eleven men well armed will certainly subdue one single man in his shirt." - Meaning and context.">
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The Drapier's Letters, letter iv (13 October, 1724)
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For, in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery: but in fact, eleven men well armed will certainly subdue one single man in his shirt.

— Jonathan Swift

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "For, in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery: but in fact, eleven men well armed will certainly subdue one single man in his shirt." in the context of "The Drapier's Letters, letter iv (13 October, 1724)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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

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Jonathan Swift

About Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist. Acclaimed as one of the finest prose satirists in the English language, he was also well known for his poetry and essays.