"The good opinion of mankind, like the lever of Archimedes, with the given fulcrum, moves the world"

This quote by Thomas Jefferson is a metaphor that compares the power of popular opinion to the power of the lever of Archimedes. The lever of Archimedes is a tool that utilizes a fulcrum, or pivot point, to move an item with a relatively little force. Jefferson is recommending that public opinion, or the collective opinion of humanity, has the same power to move the world. He is implying that popular opinion can be a powerful force for modification, which it can be used to influence the world in a favorable way. This quote is a tip that the collective opinion of mankind can be a powerful tool for developing favorable change on the planet. It is a pointer that we ought to make every effort to produce a world where popular opinion is appreciated and valued, which we must use it to produce a better world.