--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Liberty requires opportunity to make a…" description: "\"Liberty requires opportunity to make a living--a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives a man not only enough to liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_decent_liberty-requires-opportunity-to-make-a-l_2467362.jpg" --- # Liberty requires opportunity to make a living--a living… ![“Liberty requires opportunity to make a living--a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives a man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.” quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_decent_liberty-requires-opportunity-to-make-a-l_2467362.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_decent_liberty-requires-opportunity-to-make-a-l_2467362.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_decent_liberty-requires-opportunity-to-make-a-l_2467362.jpg) > “Liberty requires opportunity to make a living--a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives a man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.” [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom includes the chance to earn a decent living that gives purpose beyond survival. **In simple terms:** Liberty means having a meaningful, decent livelihood. Key Takeaway Support policies that provide dignified work. Themes freedom economics purpose human dignity Mood hopeful serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - employment programs - minimum wage debates - social safety nets - community development Key Concepts social welfare living standards economic opportunity Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “decent” living standard today? - How can societies ensure purpose‑driven work? A Different Perspective Economic constraints can limit true freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/cruelty-like-every-other-vice-requires-no-motive-outside-of-itself-it/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [All that God requires of us is an opportunity to show what He can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-god-requires-of-us-is-an-opportunity-to-show-what-he-can-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not everyone is willing to embrace liberty; liberty requires not just effort, but risk. Some people choose to delude themselves and see their chains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/not-everyone-is-willing-to-embrace-liberty-liberty-requires-not-just/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Liberty requires security without intrusion, security plus privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/liberty-requires-security-without-intrusion-security-plus-privacy/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [We believe, as our founders did, that 'the pursuit of happiness' depends upon individual liberty; and individual liberty requires limited government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-believe-as-our-founders-did-that-the-pursuit-of-happiness-depends/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [No business which depends for existence on paying \*less than living wages\* to its workers has any right to continue in this country... By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It's very impossible to live by yesterday's standards and expect extraordinary results today. Live life with passion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-very-impossible-to-live-by-yesterday-s-standards-and-expect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think as long as the standard of quality, the story-telling, film-making, acting etc. etc. remains consistent, then you've got a good change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-marshall/i-think-as-long-as-the-standard-of-quality-the-story-telling-film/) [Neil Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-marshall/) > [A cultivated and decent man cannot be vain without setting a fearfully high standard for himself, and without despising and almost hating himself at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-cultivated-and-decent-man-cannot-be-vain-without-setting-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Compared with working just to make a living, it’s much easier to do what you love and get paid for it. You just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-guillebeau/compared-with-working-just-to-make-a-living-it-s-much-easier-to-do/) [Chris Guillebeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-guillebeau/) > [I work hard, I make my own living and I love it. I like having financial independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/i-work-hard-i-make-my-own-living-and-i-love-it-i-like-having/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [I don't want to make a living. I want to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-don-t-want-to-make-a-living-i-want-to-make-a-life/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/don-t-make-music-for-some-vast-unseen-audience-or-market-or-ratings/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My goal has always been to make a living and to have the respect of my peers. It's never been about stardom. It's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-weston/my-goal-has-always-been-to-make-a-living-and-to-have-the-respect-of/) Celia Weston > [“If I never got to make a living doing what I loved, I'd still do it--for fun and for free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-e-isaacs/if-i-never-got-to-make-a-living-doing-what-i-loved-i-d-still-do-it/) [Susan E. Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-e-isaacs/) ## More by Franklin D. Roosevelt > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Inquisitiveness is the most useful talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/inquisitiveness-is-the-most-useful-talent/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I have seen war ... I hate war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-hate-war/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [All of our people all over the country-except the pure-blooded Indians-are immigrants or descendants of immigrants, including even those who came over here on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/all-of-our-people-all-over-the-country-except-the-pure-blooded/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [They have given their sons to the military services. They have stoked the furnaces and hurried the factory wheels. They have made the planes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/they-have-given-their-sons-to-the-military-services-they-have-stoked/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [On the European Front the most important development of the past year has been the crushing offensive of the Great Armies of Russia...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/on-the-european-front-the-most-important-development-of-the-past-year/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The core of our defense is the faith we have in the institutions we defend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-core-of-our-defense-is-the-faith-we-have-in-the-institutions-we/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [War is a contagion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/war-is-a-contagion/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Labor Day symbolizes our determination to achieve an economic freedom for the average man which will give his political freedom realty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/labor-day-symbolizes-our-determination-to-achieve-an-economic-freedom/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Too often in recent history liberal governments have been wrecked on rocks of loose fiscal policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/too-often-in-recent-history-liberal-governments-have-been-wrecked-on/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The frontier of America is on the Rhine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-frontier-of-america-is-on-the-rhine/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/repetition-does-not-transform-a-lie-into-a-truth/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The future lies with those wise political leaders who realize that the great public is interested more in Government than in politics. The growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-future-lies-with-those-wise-political-leaders-who-realize-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) [Explore all 521 Franklin D. Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## More Decent quotes > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [As long as I can sing halfway decent, I'd rather sing than act. 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We none of us were and none of us did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-weren-t-a-decent-man-and-you-didn-t-do-your-best-we-none-of-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [If you listen to the radio for a whole hour there's maybe one decent song. 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Musicians, fans of music, and grassroots political organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/music-and-the-arts-feed-our-souls-but-a-decent-wage-puts-food-on-the/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [The 'key-log' which must be moved to release the evolutionary process for an ethic is simply this: quit thinking about decent land-use as solely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/land-ethic/the-key-log-which-must-be-moved-to-release-the-evolutionary-process/) Land ethic > [The recurrent laryngeal nerve - which runs from the head to the voice box - goes all the way down into the chest, loops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-recurrent-laryngeal-nerve-which-runs-from-the-head-to-the-voice/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Every New Yorker spends a certain amount of nervous energy thinking, "How can I afford to stay here? 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