Constitutional right Quote by Abraham Lincoln
““If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written constitutional right, it might in a moral point of view justify revolution; certainly would if such right were a vital one. But such is not our case.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Gettysburg Address, 1863
When a majority suppresses a minority’s constitutional right, moral justification for revolution arises, unless the right isn’t vital.
In simple terms: Majorities can’t deny vital rights.
Key Takeaway
Protect minority rights fiercely.
Themes
politics
rights
justice
Mood
serious
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- civil rights movements
- legislative debates
- court rulings
Key Concepts
majority rule
minority protection
revolutionary ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- When is revolution justified?
- How do we balance majority rule with minority rights?
A Different Perspective
May incite unrest if misapplied.
![“The state has a right to do that [outlaw contraceptives], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional right, the state has the right to pass whatever statutes they have. That is the thing I have said about the activism of the Supreme Court, they are…” quote by Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
