Anarchy Quote by Andrew Napolitano
“Freedom is the default position. Everything the government does takes away some of our freedom... That's why we have a constitution, to restrain the government.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Constitutional Law and the Limits of Government, Andrew Napolitano, 2015
Freedom is the natural state; government actions restrict it, so constitutions exist to limit governmental power.
In simple terms: Freedom is default; government limits it.
Key Takeaway
Support constitutional checks on power.
Themes
freedom
government
constitution
Mood
cautious
defensive
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- legal challenges
- civic education
Key Concepts
political theory
civil liberties
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards best protect liberty?
- How do we respond when government overreaches?
A Different Perspective
Constitutions can be weakened by erosion of checks.
![“[Our Constitution] is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” quote by Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e9e/patrick-henry-3071_america-freedom_our-constitution-is-an-instrument-for-th_1262867.jpg)
![“It's hard for me to believe that it [World Trade Center Building 7] came down by itself... Twenty years from now, people will look at 9-11 the way we look at the assassination of JFK today. It couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us.” quote by Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57a/andrew-napolitano-37145_assassination_it-s-hard-for-me-to-believe-that-it-worl_2673210.jpg)
