--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Balancing the common good with the…" description: "\"Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a challenge for those committed to democracy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png" --- # Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to… ![“Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a challenge for those committed to democracy while understanding that the polis ensures our participation and therefore our citizenship.” quote by David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png) > “Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a challenge for those committed to democracy while understanding that the polis ensures our participation and therefore our citizenship.” [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing collective welfare with individual liberty is a persistent democratic challenge, requiring civic participation. **In simple terms:** Democracy must balance community and freedom. Key Takeaway Protect both common good and personal liberty. Themes democracy freedom community citizenship Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - education campaigns Key Concepts social contract civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure both? - What role does civic education play? A Different Perspective Too much liberty can undermine cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Committed Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed-democracy-3800473/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-good/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-understanding-5729343/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom and liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-and-liberty/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuality/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participation/) [Participation Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participation-citizenship-5729344/) [Remains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remains/) [Therefore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therefore/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [While](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/while/) ## Related quotes > [President Trump is committed to democracy and rule of law in our hemisphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-o-brien/president-trump-is-committed-to-democracy-and-rule-of-law-in-our/) [Robert C. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-o-brien/) > [“You know that feeling of invincibility you sometimes get, especially when young and testing yourself - well that could be because actually know deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/you-know-that-feeling-of-invincibility-you-sometimes-get-especially/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [When it comes to losing weight, balancing your hormones is absolutely crucial. Not only will it help you lose weight by correcting a sluggish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/when-it-comes-to-losing-weight-balancing-your-hormones-is-absolutely/) [Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/) > [We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the music exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/we-re-going-to-sing-about-things-that-matter-to-us-the-balancing-act/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I don't love the phrase 'balancing work and family.' It sets up this idea of scales of justice with work on one side and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-o-donnell/i-don-t-love-the-phrase-balancing-work-and-family-it-sets-up-this/) [Norah O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-o-donnell/) > [You're always going to feel like you're catching up, and part of that is just balancing work and motherhood and the whole feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/you-re-always-going-to-feel-like-you-re-catching-up-and-part-of-that/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [I have the luxury of balancing and juggling films in different languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dulquer-salmaan/i-have-the-luxury-of-balancing-and-juggling-films-in-different/) [Dulquer Salmaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dulquer-salmaan/) > [I'm always balancing how much I can be gone, and how much I can be around for my kids and standard poodles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/i-m-always-balancing-how-much-i-can-be-gone-and-how-much-i-can-be/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [For every apparent gain, in short, we now observe a balancing danger. This is the world we have created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kingwell/for-every-apparent-gain-in-short-we-now-observe-a-balancing-danger/) [Mark Kingwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kingwell/) > [Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/balancing-hopes-desires-and-an-appreciating-of-the-possibilities-with/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [We are all trying to balance our careers and children and give as much of ourselves and our time to them. You work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-preston/we-are-all-trying-to-balance-our-careers-and-children-and-give-as/) [Kelly Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-preston/) > [I find that balancing my life with my work with the kids at St. Jude, working on books, working on my career as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-find-that-balancing-my-life-with-my-work-with-the-kids-at-st-jude/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I think balancing work and family takes constant adjustment. Its not something you can say you've accomplished and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/i-think-balancing-work-and-family-takes-constant-adjustment-its-not/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/) [Psixaristw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psixaristw/) > [Balancing is good to isolate the abs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-wagner/balancing-is-good-to-isolate-the-abs/) [Jill Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-wagner/) ## More by David Blunkett > [Strengthening our identity is one way of reinforcing people's confidence and sense of citizenship and well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/strengthening-our-identity-is-one-way-of-reinforcing-people-s/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Politics is about the participation and engagement of the wider citizenry - to miss that point would doom us to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/politics-is-about-the-participation-and-engagement-of-the-wider/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I don't think anyone can say I have said one thing in public and done another in private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-don-t-think-anyone-can-say-i-have-said-one-thing-in-public-and-done/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [As a former home secretary, I have access to and knowledge of the workings of the system in a way that individuals unfamiliar with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/as-a-former-home-secretary-i-have-access-to-and-knowledge-of-the/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [The Home Office culture was one of being just above the problem, of hovering just out of reach of knowing what was going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/the-home-office-culture-was-one-of-being-just-above-the-problem-of/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [And we think that our citizens and yours would be very angry if they thought that we hadnt taken every possible step for prevention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/and-we-think-that-our-citizens-and-yours-would-be-very-angry-if-they/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I was affected by the harshness of government, the reality of 16-hour days, and the pressures of modern communications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-was-affected-by-the-harshness-of-government-the-reality-of-16-hour/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Yes, it will go through the disciplines that all puppies go through including house training and puppy walking, then at twelve month old it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/yes-it-will-go-through-the-disciplines-that-all-puppies-go-through/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [At school, I was brought up on revolting food - sausages, sausages and Spam - but at home, I had the most wonderful sponge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/at-school-i-was-brought-up-on-revolting-food-sausages-sausages-and/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Let's not allow the voice of the people to be overwhelmed by the siren song of those who opposed regulation, who demanded that government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/let-s-not-allow-the-voice-of-the-people-to-be-overwhelmed-by-the/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [The clash between capital and labour, between those seeking to maximise profit and those with only their toil to sell, was the driving force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/the-clash-between-capital-and-labour-between-those-seeking-to/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Without the political parties and the volunteering work of their members day in, day out, we would have a very different sort of politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/without-the-political-parties-and-the-volunteering-work-of-their/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [If I pleaded guilty to a mistake while I was home secretary, it wasn't that I didn't get tough - my God, I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/if-i-pleaded-guilty-to-a-mistake-while-i-was-home-secretary-it-wasn-t/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I have always been honest about my recollection of events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-have-always-been-honest-about-my-recollection-of-events/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [We have put over £2bn in the last three years into counter-terrorism and we are developing the electronic border surveillance and identity cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/we-have-put-over-2bn-in-the-last-three-years-into-counter-terrorism/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) [Explore all 116 David Blunkett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) ## More Balancing quotes > [Balancing is good to isolate the abs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-wagner/balancing-is-good-to-isolate-the-abs/) [Jill Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-wagner/) > [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/) [Psixaristw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psixaristw/) > [I think balancing work and family takes constant adjustment. Its not something you can say you've accomplished and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/i-think-balancing-work-and-family-takes-constant-adjustment-its-not/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [I find that balancing my life with my work with the kids at St. Jude, working on books, working on my career as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-find-that-balancing-my-life-with-my-work-with-the-kids-at-st-jude/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [We are all trying to balance our careers and children and give as much of ourselves and our time to them. You work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-preston/we-are-all-trying-to-balance-our-careers-and-children-and-give-as/) [Kelly Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-preston/) > [Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/balancing-hopes-desires-and-an-appreciating-of-the-possibilities-with/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [For every apparent gain, in short, we now observe a balancing danger. This is the world we have created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kingwell/for-every-apparent-gain-in-short-we-now-observe-a-balancing-danger/) [Mark Kingwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kingwell/) > [I'm always balancing how much I can be gone, and how much I can be around for my kids and standard poodles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/i-m-always-balancing-how-much-i-can-be-gone-and-how-much-i-can-be/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [I have the luxury of balancing and juggling films in different languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dulquer-salmaan/i-have-the-luxury-of-balancing-and-juggling-films-in-different/) [Dulquer Salmaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dulquer-salmaan/) > [You're always going to feel like you're catching up, and part of that is just balancing work and motherhood and the whole feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/you-re-always-going-to-feel-like-you-re-catching-up-and-part-of-that/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [I don't love the phrase 'balancing work and family.' It sets up this idea of scales of justice with work on one side and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-o-donnell/i-don-t-love-the-phrase-balancing-work-and-family-it-sets-up-this/) [Norah O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-o-donnell/) > [We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the music exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/we-re-going-to-sing-about-things-that-matter-to-us-the-balancing-act/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [When it comes to losing weight, balancing your hormones is absolutely crucial. Not only will it help you lose weight by correcting a sluggish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/when-it-comes-to-losing-weight-balancing-your-hormones-is-absolutely/) [Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/) > [“You know that feeling of invincibility you sometimes get, especially when young and testing yourself - well that could be because actually know deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/you-know-that-feeling-of-invincibility-you-sometimes-get-especially/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [I wanted to build a tool for my generation: people 20 to 40 who don't want to spend time balancing a checkbook or checking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/i-wanted-to-build-a-tool-for-my-generation-people-20-to-40-who-don-t/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) [Browse all 110 Balancing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a challenge for those committed to democracy while understanding that the polis ensures our participation and therefore our citizenship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Blunkett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freedom-and-liberty-to-exercise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balancing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freedom-and-liberty-to-exercise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/david-blunkett-4087_balancing_balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freed_3163673.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a…” — David Blunkett", "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": "David Blunkett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Balancing the common good with the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freedom-and-liberty-to-exercise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/balancing-the-common-good-with-the-freedom-and-liberty-to-exercise/#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 } } ] } ```