--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As beings possessing reason, men “are all…" description: "\"“As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and equals can have no right over each other,” wrote seventeenth-century English politician Algernon ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg" --- # As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and… ![“As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and equals can have no right over each other,” wrote seventeenth-century English politician Algernon Sidney.26 Viewed from an Enlightenment perspective, individuals were not subjects who had a duty to bow to political and religious authorities. They…” quote by Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg) > ““As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and equals can have no right over each other,” wrote seventeenth-century English politician Algernon Sidney.26 Viewed from an Enlightenment perspective, individuals were not subjects who had a duty to bow to political and religious authorities. They were autonomous beings who possessed equal rights and should therefore be left free to think, to work, to trade, to pursue happiness and success here on earth.”” [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates that rational beings possess inherent equality and should not dominate each other, emphasizing autonomy and natural rights. **In simple terms:** All rational people are equal and deserve freedom. Key Takeaway Respect others’ autonomy. Themes equality rights autonomy Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political discourse - human rights advocacy - education - legal reform Key Concepts natural law social contract Questions to Reflect On - How do we protect equal rights in unequal societies? - What limits exist on individual autonomy? A Different Perspective Equality may clash with hierarchical traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Equal rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-rights/) [Happiness and success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-and-success/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [All men equal in rights and duties, all men equally responsible for the destiny of mankind - what a dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-bourgeois/all-men-equal-in-rights-and-duties-all-men-equally-responsible-for/) [Leon Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-bourgeois/) > [All men have equal rights to liberty, to their property, and to the protection of the laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/all-men-have-equal-rights-to-liberty-to-their-property-and-to-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Far am I from denying in theory, full as far is my heart from withholding in practice, (if I were of power to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/far-am-i-from-denying-in-theory-full-as-far-is-my-heart-from/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [All men have equal rights, but not to equal things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/all-men-have-equal-rights-but-not-to-equal-things/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Women have rights (over against men) equal to the rights (they owe men) but men have precedence over them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afica-child/women-have-rights-over-against-men-equal-to-the-rights-they-owe-men/) Afica Child > [Whatever each man can separately do, without trespassing upon others, he has a right to do for himself; and he has a right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/whatever-each-man-can-separately-do-without-trespassing-upon-others/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The English are no nearer than they were a hundred years ago to knowing what Jefferson really meant when he said that God had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-english-are-no-nearer-than-they-were-a-hundred-years-ago-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“All men are equal in God’s presence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/all-men-are-equal-in-god-s-presence/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [All men are equal — all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/all-men-are-equal-all-men-that-is-to-say-who-possess-umbrellas/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-paul/men-and-women-shall-have-equal-rights-throughout-the-united-states/) [Alice Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-paul/) > [The history of woman is the history of the continued and universal oppression of one sex by the other. The emancipation of woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-celeste-claflin/the-history-of-woman-is-the-history-of-the-continued-and-universal/) [Tennessee Celeste Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-celeste-claflin/) > [The equal rights of man and the happiness of every individual are now acknowledged to be the only legitimate objects of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-equal-rights-of-man-and-the-happiness-of-every-individual-are-now/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I certainly embrace all the movement that's going on these days about equality for women and equal rights. In general, I would apply that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/i-certainly-embrace-all-the-movement-that-s-going-on-these-days-about/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [While we welcome people of all faiths in America we cannot be so naive as to expect all countries to do the same. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-huffington/while-we-welcome-people-of-all-faiths-in-america-we-cannot-be-so/) [Michael Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-huffington/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## More by Don Watkins > [“hat are the effects of increasing minimum wages?” asks Paul Krugman. “Any Econ 101 student can tell you the answer: The higher wage reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/hat-are-the-effects-of-increasing-minimum-wages-asks-paul-krugman-any/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“All of these agencies were enormously active during the so-called laissez-faire era. As the former CEO of BB&T Bank John Allison notes, “Government spending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/all-of-these-agencies-were-enormously-active-during-the-so-called/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“There is an inequality problem involved in cronyism, however: cronyism is an example of political inequality. It allows a privileged group of people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/there-is-an-inequality-problem-involved-in-cronyism-however-cronyism/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“The true source of economic security is self-reliance and economic freedom—Social Security is immoral because it subverts both. It sabotages the virtues that enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/the-true-source-of-economic-security-is-self-reliance-and-economic/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“One result of the federal government’s student financial aid programs is higher tuition costs at our nation’s colleges and universities.” Although paradoxical, this result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/one-result-of-the-federal-government-s-student-financial-aid-programs/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“A college student who wouldn’t have taken a McDonald’s job for $7.25 an hour may find it worthwhile at $10 an hour, leaving fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/a-college-student-who-wouldn-t-have-taken-a-mcdonald-s-job-for-7-25/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“That’s what happened at Ford, for example. In 1914, Henry Ford famously raised his starting wage to $5 a day (nearly $120 in today’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/that-s-what-happened-at-ford-for-example-in-1914-henry-ford-famously/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“Some economic inequality critics go further and contend that there comes a point at which inequality undermines progress—and, by and large, they believe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/some-economic-inequality-critics-go-further-and-contend-that-there/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“Today, more and more of the world is following our lead, with the result that billions around the globe have been liberated from poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/today-more-and-more-of-the-world-is-following-our-lead-with-the/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“Wealth is not distributed by society: it is produced and traded by the people who create it. To distribute it, society would first have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/wealth-is-not-distributed-by-society-it-is-produced-and-traded-by-the/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“When inequality alarmists like Krugman hold up the post-war era as a model, they are not doing so in the name of prosperity, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/when-inequality-alarmists-like-krugman-hold-up-the-post-war-era-as-a/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“We’re taught to think of the minimum wage as a mechanism for helping people earn more. What it actually does is prevent people from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/we-re-taught-to-think-of-the-minimum-wage-as-a-mechanism-for-helping/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“Consequently, even many critics of economic inequality are hesitant to endorse the claim that inequality undermines growth. Paul Krugman, for instance, says that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/consequently-even-many-critics-of-economic-inequality-are-hesitant-to/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“We must insist on putting production at the heart of economic analysis. The inequality alarmists take the existence of progress and prosperity for granted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/we-must-insist-on-putting-production-at-the-heart-of-economic/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [“One answer to that question comes from none other than leading inequality critic Robert Reich. In a 2007 Wall Street Journal column, Reich admitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/one-answer-to-that-question-comes-from-none-other-than-leading/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) [Explore all 26 Don Watkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) ## More Buddhism quotes > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. My mom married a Muslim when I was 12, so I got teachings from both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/my-mom-and-my-aunties-are-really-devout-christians-my-mom-married-a/) [Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sorensen/the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d-teachings-from-their-broader/) [Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sorensen/) > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That's all there is, enlightenment on the end of a cock. It doesn't get any more Zen than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-wilkes/that-s-all-there-is-enlightenment-on-the-end-of-a-cock-it-doesn-t-get/) [Jaden Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-wilkes/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) [Browse all 6,100 Buddhism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and equals can have no right over each other,” wrote seventeenth-century English politician Algernon Sidney.26 Viewed from an Enlightenment perspective, individuals were not subjects who had a duty to bow to political and religious authorities. They were autonomous beings who possessed equal rights and should therefore be left free to think, to work, to trade, to pursue happiness and success here on earth.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don Watkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all-equal-and-equals-can-have-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buddhism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all-equal-and-equals-can-have-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/don-watkins-23222_buddhism_as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all_2714023.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As beings possessing reason, men “are all equal, and equals can have no right over each other,” wrote…” — Don Watkins", "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": "Don Watkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As beings possessing reason, men “are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all-equal-and-equals-can-have-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/as-beings-possessing-reason-men-are-all-equal-and-equals-can-have-no/#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 } } ] } ```