--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as I have any choice in the…" description: "\"As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of all citizens before the law p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg" --- # As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live… ![“As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of all citizens before the law prevail.” quote by Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg) > “As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of all citizens before the law prevail.” [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A personal commitment to reside only where fundamental rights—freedom, acceptance, and legal equality—are upheld. **In simple terms:** Prefers societies guaranteeing liberty, tolerance, equality. Key Takeaway Choose environments that protect basic human rights. Themes freedom tolerance equality justice civic responsibility Mood hopeful determined principled Type political philosophical When to use this quote - relocating for political safety - selecting a country for family settlement - seeking asylum - deciding on a long‑term residence Key Concepts civil liberty legal equality social tolerance Practical Applications - policy advocacy for human rights - community building around inclusive values Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal security with idealistic values? - What compromises are acceptable when no perfect society exists? A Different Perspective Some argue that personal safety and economic opportunity may outweigh strict adherence to these ideals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Civil liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-liberties/) [Civil Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-liberty/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Equality Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-citizens-406186/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Prevail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-prevail-406188/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-tolerance-406185/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Tolerance Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance-equality-406187/) ## Related quotes > [When one becomes a liberal, he or she pretends to advocate tolerance, equality and peace, but hilariously, they’re doing so for purely selfish reasons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/when-one-becomes-a-liberal-he-or-she-pretends-to-advocate-tolerance/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [Time for Tolerance,Equality, and Acceptance, It's allways TEA time with my Friends...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-douglass/time-for-tolerance-equality-and-acceptance-it-s-allways-tea-time-with/) [Gregory Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-douglass/) > [The guarantees of civil liberty are but guarantees of freedom of the human mind and spirit and of reasonable freedom and opportunity to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-f-stone/the-guarantees-of-civil-liberty-are-but-guarantees-of-freedom-of-the/) [Harlan F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-f-stone/) > [Almost all the civil liberty now enjoyed in the world owes its origin to the principles of the christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/almost-all-the-civil-liberty-now-enjoyed-in-the-world-owes-its-origin/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Superstition is an enemy to civil liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/superstition-is-an-enemy-to-civil-liberty/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And when the time is right, I hope that African Americans will again look to the party of emancipation, civil liberty, and individual freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/and-when-the-time-is-right-i-hope-that-african-americans-will-again/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites…in proportion as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/men-are-qualified-for-civil-liberty-in-exact-proportion-to-their-2/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/the-moral-principles-and-precepts-contained-in-the-scriptures-ought/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [The whole freedom of man consists either in spiritual or civil liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-whole-freedom-of-man-consists-either-in-spiritual-or-civil-liberty/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The most important civil liberty... is to stay alive and to be free from violence and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/the-most-important-civil-liberty-is-to-stay-alive-and-to-be-free-from/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [ \[If you understood the natural rights of mankind,\] \[y\]ou would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/if-you-understood-the-natural-rights-of-mankind-y-ou-would-be/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The commitment to civil liberty is going to be reasserted strongly. But the concept of liberty is under attack, and our definition of insecurity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/the-commitment-to-civil-liberty-is-going-to-be-reasserted-strongly/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from-history-more-certain-or-more/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Civil liberty can be established on no foundation of human reason which will not at the same time demonstrate the right of religious freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/civil-liberty-can-be-established-on-no-foundation-of-human-reason/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [That's when civil liberty suffers - when we think special times justify the diminution of civil liberties. And I'm not going to accept that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/that-s-when-civil-liberty-suffers-when-we-think-special-times-justify/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) ## More by Albert Einstein > [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/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The strongest force in the universe is Compound Interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-strongest-force-in-the-universe-is-compound-interest/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The right to search for the truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-right-to-search-for-the-truth-implies-also-a-duty-one-must-not/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/everything-that-is-really-great-and-inspiring-is-created-by-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The world we have made is a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-world-we-have-made-is-a-result-of-the-level-of-thinking-we-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/life-isn-t-worth-living-unless-it-is-lived-for-someone-else/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it isn't true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/just-because-you-don-t-believe-in-something-doesn-t-mean-it-isn-t-true/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [But there is another reason for the high repute of mathematics: it is mathematics that offers the exact natural sciences a certain measure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/but-there-is-another-reason-for-the-high-repute-of-mathematics-it-is/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nothing-will-benefit-human-health-and-increase-the-chances-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) [Explore all 2,339 Albert Einstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of all citizens before the law prevail.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Einstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/albert-einstein-33_choices_as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matt_24056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance…” — Albert Einstein", "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": "Albert Einstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As long as I have any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/#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 } } ] } ```