The more a government strives to curtail freedom of…
““The more a government strives to curtail freedom of speech, the more obstinately is it resisted; not indeed by the avaricious,... but by those whom good education, sound morality, and virtue have rendered more free. Men in general are so constituted that there is nothing they will endure with so little patience as that views which they believe to be true should be counted crimes against the laws,... Under such circumstances they do not think it disgraceful, but most honorable, to hold the laws in abhorrence, and to refrain from no action against the government.[355]... Laws which can be broken without any wrong to one's neighbor are counted but a laughing-stock; and so far from such laws restraining the appetites and lusts of mankind, they rather heighten them. Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata.[356]””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
When governments suppress speech, educated and moral citizens resist, seeing such laws as absurd.
In simple terms: Free speech is defended by educated, moral people.
Key Takeaway
Support and protect free expression.
Themes
freedom
speech
government
resistance
morality
Mood
thought‑provoking
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- journalism
- academic discourse
- public protest
Key Concepts
Civil liberties
ethical resistance
political philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does education play in defending liberty?
- When should civil disobedience be considered?
A Different Perspective
Even well‑intentioned laws can become oppressive if they limit truth.