"While all other sciences have advanced, that of government is at a standstill - little better understood, little better practiced now than three or four thousand years ago"

In this quote, John Adams is expressing his belief that while other disciplines have made substantial progress, the study of federal government has not. He argues that in spite of the passage of countless years, our understanding and practice of government has not enhanced much. This might be translated as a criticism of the lack of development and development in the field of government, or as a commentary on the cyclical nature of political systems. Adams may be suggesting that we have not gained from the mistakes and successes of past federal governments, and for that reason have actually not made significant strides in improving our understanding and practice of governing.