--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Liberty is the proper end and object of…" description: "\"Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.\" — John Wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg" --- # Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and… ![“Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.” quote by John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg) > “Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.” [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True authority exists only to protect liberty, which is inherently good, just, and honest. **In simple terms:** Authority serves liberty. Key Takeaway Liberty defines just authority. Themes political theory liberty authority justice morality Mood thoughtful principled Type philosophical didactic When to use this quote - constitutional design - civic education - political philosophy courses Key Concepts liberty authority Practical Applications - civic engagement initiatives - policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - Can authority ever be justified without protecting liberty? - What constitutes 'good' liberty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Authority Subsist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority-subsist-1149223/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-good-1149222/) [Liberty Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-proper-1149221/) [Subsist Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsist-liberty-994854/) ## Related quotes > [A liberty to that only which is good, just, and honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/a-liberty-to-that-only-which-is-good-just-and-honest/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [The proper role of government is exactly what John Stuart Mill said in the middle of the nineteenth century in On Liberty. The proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-proper-role-of-government-is-exactly-what-john-stuart-mill-said/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-is-a-twofold-liberty-natural-i-mean-as-our-nature-is-now/) [Alexis De Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-country-cannot-subsist-well-without-liberty-nor-liberty-without/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [To those who think that liberty is a good thing, and that it may someday be possible for people to live in a society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/to-those-who-think-that-liberty-is-a-good-thing-and-that-it-may/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [To me this question whether liberty is a good or a bad thing appears as irrational as the question whether fire is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/to-me-this-question-whether-liberty-is-a-good-or-a-bad-thing-appears/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/liberty-and-good-government-do-not-exclude-each-other-and-there-are/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Political liberty is only good insofar as it produces private liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/political-liberty-is-only-good-insofar-as-it-produces-private-liberty/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) ## More by John Winthrop > [True liberty is not liberty to do evil as well as good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/true-liberty-is-not-liberty-to-do-evil-as-well-as-good/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [“For this end, we must be knit together in this work as one man, we must entertain each other in brotherly affection, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/for-this-end-we-must-be-knit-together-in-this-work-as-one-man-we-must/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [Love is the bond of perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/love-is-the-bond-of-perfection/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/for-we-must-consider-that-we-shall-be-as-a-city-upon-a-hill-the-eyes/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [“We must knit together, in this work, as one man. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/we-must-knit-together-in-this-work-as-one-man-we-must-entertain-each/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [A democracy is ... accounted the meanest and worst of all forms of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/a-democracy-is-accounted-the-meanest-and-worst-of-all-forms-of/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [The eyes of all people are upon us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/the-eyes-of-all-people-are-upon-us/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [To love and live beloved is the soul's paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/to-love-and-live-beloved-is-the-soul-s-paradise/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [A liberty to that only which is good, just, and honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/a-liberty-to-that-only-which-is-good-just-and-honest/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [“For we must Consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/for-we-must-consider-that-we-shall-be-as-a-city-upon-a-hill-the-eyes-2/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. Soe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/for-we-must-consider-that-we-shall-be-as-a-city-upon-a-hill-the-eyes-3/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [We must delight in each other, make others conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/we-must-delight-in-each-other-make-others-conditions-our-own-rejoice/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [“For this end, we must be knit together in this work as one man, we must entertain each other in brotherly affection, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/for-this-end-we-must-be-knit-together-in-this-work-as-one-man-we-must-2/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) [Explore all 14 John Winthrop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Winthrop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of-authority-and-cannot-subsist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of-authority-and-cannot-subsist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/john-winthrop-33810_authority_liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of_92921.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that…” — John Winthrop", "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": "John Winthrop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Liberty is the proper end and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of-authority-and-cannot-subsist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/liberty-is-the-proper-end-and-object-of-authority-and-cannot-subsist/#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 } } ] } ```