--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It must be admitted that the tendency of…" description: "\"It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race toward liberty is largely thwarted, especially in France. This is greatly due to a fatal desire..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/frederic-bastiat-2151_affair_it-must-be-admitted-that-the-tendency-of_1626071.jpg" --- # It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race… ![“It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race toward liberty is largely thwarted, especially in France. This is greatly due to a fatal desire-learned from the teachings of antiquity-that our writers on public affairs have in common: They desire to set themselves above mankind in order to…” quote by Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/frederic-bastiat-2151_affair_it-must-be-admitted-that-the-tendency-of_1626071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/frederic-bastiat-2151_affair_it-must-be-admitted-that-the-tendency-of_1626071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/frederic-bastiat-2151_affair_it-must-be-admitted-that-the-tendency-of_1626071.jpg) > “It must be admitted that the tendency of the human race toward liberty is largely thwarted, especially in France. This is greatly due to a fatal desire-learned from the teachings of antiquity-that our writers on public affairs have in common: They desire to set themselves above mankind in order to arrange, organize, and regulate it according to their fancy.” [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human liberty is often hindered by elites who, driven by antiquated teachings, seek to dominate and regulate society for personal whims. **In simple terms:** Liberty is blocked by self‑serving regulators. Key Takeaway Question authority that limits freedom. Themes politics freedom elitism history Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government regulation - media influence - educational curricula - legal reforms Key Concepts authoritarianism social contract public policy Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from current regulations? - How can liberty be protected without chaos? A Different Perspective Not all regulation is harmful; some protects rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Antiquity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Dues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dues/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fancy/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Largely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-largely-336733/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-order-336736/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Organize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organize/) [Public affairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-affairs/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Race Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-liberty-336734/) [Regulate According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulate-according-336735/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The State is, and always has been, the great single enemy of the human race, its liberty, happiness, and progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-state-is-and-always-has-been-the-great-single-enemy-of-the-human/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/the-history-of-liberty-has-largely-been-the-history-of-the-observance/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [We have continued to advance our global ambition with acquisitions that fill in the global footprint, such as Dabo in Dubai on the marketing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/we-have-continued-to-advance-our-global-ambition-with-acquisitions/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) > [“In my Toyota interviews, when I asked what distinguishes the Toyota Way from other management approaches, the most common first response was genchi gembutsu—whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/in-my-toyota-interviews-when-i-asked-what-distinguishes-the-toyota/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The frightening aspect is that it's part of a larger effort from the Pentagon to tear down the wall between public affairs and propaganda,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-frightening-aspect-is-that-it-s-part-of-a-larger-effort-from-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. 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