The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.

The quotation expresses a core principle of modern republican and liberal political thought: government is instrumental rather than self-justifying. Its legitimacy rests on serving the public’s welfare—protecting security (“safety”) and promoting human flourishing (“happiness”)—rather than advancing the private interests of rulers. In Jeffersonian terms, this aligns with the idea that political power is a trust delegated by the people and must be exercised for their benefit; when it becomes predatory or self-serving, it forfeits moral authority. The phrasing also echoes the broader Enlightenment emphasis on consent, limited government, and the subordination of officeholders to the common good.