Q0191
“It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the…” — Jeremy Bentham (A Fragment on Government, Preface (1776))
Verified English quotation. Primary source: A Fragment on Government, Preface (1776). Theme: happiness.
English
It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to A Fragment on Government, Preface (1776) and files it under Utilitarianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) was the English founder of classical utilitarianism and a relentless legal reformer. Trained at Oxford and Lincoln’s Inn, he spent decades drafting codes, critiquing common law fictions, and proposing institutions such as the Panopticon.
How to read this passage
Greek eudaimonia, Buddhist analyses of craving, utilitarian happiness, and modern well-being research all contest the meaning of a good life. This passage enters that discussion through happiness, ethics.
Concepts in this quote
- Happiness
- Happiness—or flourishing—is a central aim in ethics: what makes a life go well, and whether pleasure alone is enough.
- Ethics
- Ethics appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat ethics as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Jeremy Bentham. (n.d.). It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0191
MLA: Jeremy Bentham. “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0191.
Chicago: Jeremy Bentham. “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0191.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest…”?
The passage is attributed to Jeremy Bentham, A Fragment on Government, Preface (1776). The archive attributes this English wording to A Fragment on Government, Preface (1776) and files it under Utilitarianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Jeremy Bentham mean by happiness?
Greek eudaimonia, Buddhist analyses of craving, utilitarian happiness, and modern well-being research all contest the meaning of a good life. This passage enters that discussion through happiness, ethics.