Accustomed Quote by John Stuart Mill
“In proportion as the people are accustomed to manage their affairs by their own active intervention, instead of leaving them to the government, their desires will turn to repelling tyranny, rather than to tyrannizing: while in proportion as all ready initiative and direction resides in the government, and individuals habitually feel and act as under its perpetual tutelage, popular institutions develop in them not the desire of freedom, but an unmeasured appetite for place and power.”
About This Quote
Source Book: On Liberty, John Stuart Mill, 1859
When people manage their own affairs, they seek freedom; when the government controls everything, they crave power and position.
In simple terms: Self‑governance fosters liberty, over‑reliance on authority breeds ambition for control.
Key Takeaway
Encourage personal initiative, limit over‑centralization.
Themes
freedom
government
power
initiative
authority
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- community organizing
- local governance
- civic education
- grassroots movements
Key Concepts
political philosophy
social contract
individualism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance personal autonomy with necessary regulation?
- What safeguards prevent power‑seeking when authority is centralized?
A Different Perspective
If government provides too much direction, people may become apathetic rather than empowered.
![“[For people] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c53/john-stuart-mill-477_doubt_for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opi_63929.jpg)
