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> I am an author writing a book on venture capital investing. I am interested
> in using a quotation commonly attributed to Thomas Jefferson. Of course, as
> a writer, I know that common attributions are often incorrect. Therefore I
> have been trying to find an authoritative source to confirm the quotation.
> That search led me to your Web site.
> The quotation I am interested in finding goes something like, an occasional
> revolution is a valuable thing. I apologize for colloquializing the
> language, but that is exactly why I would like to find the precise words of
> Mr. Jefferson.
> Can you help?
The quotation you seek involves REBELLION, not revolution. This is a very
important distinction, because a rebellion generally indicates an uprising
of the people against their government, whereas a revolution generally means
an overthrowing of the government. The point Jefferson made about a
rebellion every twenty years or so was in the context of the people being
actively involved with their government.
"The people cannot be all, and always, well-informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they
misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is a
lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty." --Thomas Jefferson
to William Stephens Smith, 1787. ME 6:372, Papers 12:356
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions,
that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when
wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little
rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere." --Thomas
Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 1787.
"The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it
should have done. Calculate that one rebellion in thirteen states in the
course of eleven years, is but one for each state in a century and a half.
No country should be so long without one. Nor will any degree of power in
the hands of government prevent insurrections." --Thomas Jefferson to James
Madison, 1787. ME 6:391
"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We
have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one
rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each
State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a
rebellion?" --Thomas Jefferson to William S. Smith, 1787. ME 6:372
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from
time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them
take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify
them." --Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787. ME 6:373, Papers
12:356
There are many other quotations in this general area in Section 5, "The
Sovereignty of the People," at the following website:
Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government