“It is better to lose everything you have to keep the balance of justice level, than to live a life of petty privilege devoid of true freedom.”
Freedom is one of those words that everyone values and nobody defines the same way. These quotes explore liberty, independence, autonomy, and the tension between personal freedom and collective responsibility.
“Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?”
“It is better to lose everything you have to keep the balance of justice level, than to live a life of petty privilege devoid of true freedom.”
“I am a passionate believer in freedom of speech. I would not support anything which would impinge on aggressive robust freedom of the British press, but when things go wrong and there has been outright illegality, there should be proper accountability.”
“The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom.”
“America's greatness has been the greatness of a free people who shared certain moral commitments. Freedom without moral commitment is aimless and promptly self-destructive.”
“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.”
“If you can make people understand why freedom is so important through the arts, that would be a big help.”
“If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom.”
“The general interest of the masses might take the place of the insight of genius if it were allowed freedom of action.”
“If you scratch below the surface and ask what really makes me tick, it's the liberalism of trying to promote freedom and opportunity. Promoting social mobility is one of the keys to that.”
“Freedom is an indivisible word. If we want to enjoy it, and fight for it, we must be prepared to extend it to everyone, whether they are rich or poor, whether they agree with us or not, no matter what their race or the color of their skin.”
“Freedom isn't free. It shouldn't be a bragging point that 'Oh, I don't get involved in politics,' as if that makes someone cleaner. No, that makes you derelict of duty in a republic. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time of it if so many people didn't insist on their right to remain ignorant and blindly agreeable.”
“Freedom has a price. Most people aren't willing to pay it.”
“Freedom comes only to those who no longer ask of life that it shall yield them any of those personal goods that are subject to the mutations of time.”
“You know, if you are kind of rich, the best thing is that you don't have to think about money. The best thing you can buy with money is freedom, time. I don't know how much I earn a year. I have no idea. I don't know how much I pay in taxes.”
“Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.”