Uh… neither, actually.
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Status: We have not found any evidence that Thomas Jefferson said or wrote, “When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny,” nor any evidence that he wrote its listed variations.
The closest match in Jefferson’s letters describes fearful governments as bad governments.
Jerry, Jerry ever so contrary...
Even if Jefferson didn’t say it, and some other long-dead dude did, does that somehow negate the validity of the sentiment?
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In American Politics, arguments to original intent are appealing to a sizable portion of the population. Personally, I’m a little skeptical, as history has shown some of them to be more than a little naive. If the quote was only attributed to Jefferson, it loses that bit of authority.
Because the quote started appearing in the early 1900s, I think it makes sense to look at the context then.
Let me try this one last time;
No matter who may have said it at any given point in time; do you think the sentiment itself is inaccurate?
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OK. In my opinion, the state is ideally an instrument of the people. It is not a natural adversary. Now you might think that this is pollyannaish of me, but I would prefer to have an accountable entity fill that role over a unaccountable entity-- such as the local warlord/oligarch.
I’m not sure that Jefferson intended to use the fear/love dichotomy of Jim Cunningham, bestselling author of Attitudinal Beliefs Machiavelli, but a state that fears its people, rather that loving them, takes many steps to ensure that it is protected from their wrath. It spies on people. It jails dissidents. It uses violence against them. It prepares for violent revolt. Whereas a state that loves its people listens to its people. It respects them. It trusts them. It ensures that the levers of power are available to all. And it doesn’t keep secrets from the people.
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Nits are louse eggs, which are microscopic. It’s unlikely that monkey has electron-microscope vision, so it’s almost certainly picking lice (or some other parasite,) not nits.
How’s that?
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Said editor to leak John Doe’s identity in 3, 2, 1…
lol
Some journalists are reporters, Some are columnists. Others are… get this… Editors.
Dagnabbit, ya done rooned the joke! 
But yes, you are right of course, (are you ever wrong? lol), and the Guardian is certainly British. I could see them doing that simply to better protect the source.
I wish to emigrate to this nation immediately.
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PSSST!
I didn’t invent the saying, but you guys sure are perfecting it!
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