Principle 13 of 25
The National Debt Is a Burden on Future Generations
“We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.
The Principle
"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt." — Thomas Jefferson. Debt limits choices, but saving opens doors. By choosing to live wisely and save for the future, families and nations can protect freedom for generations.
Why It Matters
The Founders were deeply suspicious of public debt. Jefferson called it 'perpetual' because once established, it never seems to shrink. Hamilton, who favored a national bank and managed the first national debt, still insisted it should be a temporary tool, not a permanent condition.
Debt is a transfer of power from the future to the present. Every dollar borrowed today must be repaid with interest by citizens who had no voice in the borrowing. The Founders would recognize this as taxation without representation — the very grievance that started the Revolution.
The Question
What are we spending today that our grandchildren will be paying for — and did anyone ask them?
Listen
Poor Richard's Groove
Article V
Discussion Questions
For families, classrooms, and book clubs
- 1
Why were the Founders worried about national debt?
- 2
How is government debt similar to personal debt?
- 3
Is it ever justified for a nation to borrow? When?