--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They that can give up essential liberty…" description: "\"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. This sentence was much used in the Revo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png" --- # They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little… ![“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. This sentence was much used in the Revolutionary period. It occurs even so early as November, 1755, in an answer by the Assembly of Pennsylvania to the Governor, and forms the motto of…” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png) > “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. This sentence was much used in the Revolutionary period. It occurs even so early as November, 1755, in an answer by the Assembly of Pennsylvania to the Governor, and forms the motto of Franklin's "Historical Review," 1759, appearing also in the body of the work. -Frothingham: Rise of the Republic of the United States, p. 413.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sacrificing essential freedoms for temporary safety undermines both liberty and security. **In simple terms:** Don’t trade freedom for short‑term safety. Key Takeaway Guard core rights. Themes freedom security political philosophy civil liberties risk Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy - emergency response - legal frameworks - personal decisions Key Concepts social contract authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - What freedoms are most vital? - How to assess genuine safety threats? A Different Perspective Trade‑off can be ambiguous in crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Assembly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assembly/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Deserve Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve-liberty-235177/) [Essential Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essential-liberty/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/franklin/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Obtain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-obtain-847663/) [Liberty Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-safety-220815/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto/) [November](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/november/) [Pennsylvania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pennsylvania/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Reviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reviews/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Sentences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentences/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-purchase-a-little/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. —written for the Pennsylvania Assembly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-who-would-give-up-essential-liberty-to-purchase-a-little/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-who-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety-‘” “‘Deserve neither liberty nor safety,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheree-alsop/those-who-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/) [Cheree Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheree-alsop/) > [“Way back in 1755 Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/way-back-in-1755-benjamin-franklin-wrote-those-who-would-give-up/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [Those who sacrifice essential liberty for temporary safety are not deserving of either liberty or safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-sacrifice-essential-liberty-for-temporary-safety-are-not/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-would-give-up-essential-liberty-to-purchase-a-little/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Benjamin Franklin put it at a time of similiar uncertainty: “those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/benjamin-franklin-put-it-at-a-time-of-similiar-uncertainty-those-who/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [“Those who give up essential liberty, to preserve a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fleming/those-who-give-up-essential-liberty-to-preserve-a-little-temporary/) [Thomas Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fleming/) > [“No realistic American can expect from a dictator's peace international generosity, or return of true independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/no-realistic-american-can-expect-from-a-dictator-s-peace/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Those who would give up liberty for safety deserve neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-would-give-up-liberty-for-safety-deserve-neither/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Those who give up liberty for the sake of security, deserve neither liberty nor security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-give-up-liberty-for-the-sake-of-security-deserve-neither/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Those who give up their liberty for more security neither deserve liberty nor security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-give-up-their-liberty-for-more-security-neither-deserve/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Pennsylvania, the state that has produced two great men: Benjamin Franklin of Massachusetts, and Albert Gallatin of Switzerland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-ingalls/pennsylvania-the-state-that-has-produced-two-great-men-benjamin/) [John James Ingalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-ingalls/) > [In 1736, Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette printed an apology for its irregular appearence because its printer was "with the Press, labouring for the publick Good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/in-1736-franklin-s-pennsylvania-gazette-printed-an-apology-for-its/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. This sentence was much used in the Revolutionary period. It occurs even so early as November, 1755, in an answer by the Assembly of Pennsylvania to the Governor, and forms the motto of Franklin's \"Historical Review,\" 1759, appearing also in the body of the work. -Frothingham: Rise of the Republic of the United States, p. 413.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/benjamin-franklin-65_answers_they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty_860462.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor…” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They that can give up essential...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/they-that-can-give-up-essential-liberty-to-obtain-a-little-temporary/#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 } } ] } ```