--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I would not be a slave, so I would not…" description: "\"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png" --- # As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master… ![“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png) > “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates equality, rejecting both oppression and domination in a democratic society. **In simple terms:** Reject both being a slave and a master. Key Takeaway Choose freedom and equality. Themes democracy equality freedom Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical political When to use this quote - civil rights activism - government policy - education - community organizing Key Concepts political philosophy human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure true equality? - What does democracy mean to you? A Different Perspective Power structures can persist despite rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [Cassius Clay is a name that white people gave to my slave master. Now that I am free, that I don't belong anymore to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/cassius-clay-is-a-name-that-white-people-gave-to-my-slave-master-now/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [A man in love ... is the master, so it seems, but only if his lady friend permits it! The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/) [Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/) > [Just as the slave master required the slaves to imitate the image he had of them, so women, who live in a relatively powerless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/just-as-the-slave-master-required-the-slaves-to-imitate-the-image-he/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [“Woman is to man as the slave to the master, the manual to the mental worker, the barbarian to the Greek. Woman is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/woman-is-to-man-as-the-slave-to-the-master-the-manual-to-the-mental/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [I have always thought that all men should be free; but if any should be slaves, it should be first those who desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-always-thought-that-all-men-should-be-free-but-if-any-should/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The Autocrat of all the Russias will resign his crown, and proclaim his subjects free republicans sooner than will our American masters voluntarily give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-autocrat-of-all-the-russias-will-resign-his-crown-and-proclaim/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-giving-freedom-to-the-slave-we-assure-freedom-to-the-free/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/my-paramount-object-in-this-struggle-is-to-save-the-union-and-is-not/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Every member of the society spies on the rest, and it is his duty to inform against them. All are slaves and equal in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/every-member-of-the-society-spies-on-the-rest-and-it-is-his-duty-to/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“I have never been able to understand where people got the idea that democracy was in some way opposed to tradition. It is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-have-never-been-able-to-understand-where-people-got-the-idea-that/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [When you look at - when you talk to people in Africa and across the Middle East, they're not satisfied with the way things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/when-you-look-at-when-you-talk-to-people-in-africa-and-across-the/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“I don't know. I love the idea of democracy, the hope, yes, I love that. I couldn't live without that. But the country? You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-don-t-know-i-love-the-idea-of-democracy-the-hope-yes-i-love-that-i/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The whole idea of a democracy is that we ourselves, the people, are supposed to make a path of our politics, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/the-whole-idea-of-a-democracy-is-that-we-ourselves-the-people-are/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [I like the idea of democracy. You have to have someone everyone distrusts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-like-the-idea-of-democracy-you-have-to-have-someone-everyone/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not-be-a-master-this-expresses/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not-be-a-master-this-expresses/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/abraham-lincoln-88_democracy_as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not_2423148.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As I would not be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not-be-a-master-this-expresses/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-i-would-not-be-a-slave-so-i-would-not-be-a-master-this-expresses/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```