--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Political liberty is nothing else but the…" description: "\"Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.\" — Lord Hailsham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png" --- # Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of… ![“Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.” quote by Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png) > “Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.” [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political liberty means power is spread widely among people, preventing concentration in a single authority. **In simple terms:** Freedom comes from shared power. Key Takeaway Support systems structures that distribute authority. Themes democracy freedom power distribution Mood thoughtful concerned Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - voting systems - community decision making - checks and balances - decentralized governance Key Concepts political theory civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance diffusion with effective governance? - What safeguards prevent power vacuums? A Different Perspective Power can become fragmented, leading to inefficiency or conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diffusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diffusion/) [Diffusion Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diffusion-power-3226589/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Diffusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-diffusion-3226588/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-liberty-460304/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty-by-leaving-to-the/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [Political liberty in a citizen is that tranquillity of spirit which comes from the opinion each one has of his security, and in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/political-liberty-in-a-citizen-is-that-tranquillity-of-spirit-which/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [If dictatorship is the concentration of power, freedom consists in its diffusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/if-dictatorship-is-the-concentration-of-power-freedom-consists-in-its/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [Safe popular freedom consists of four things, the diffusion of liberty, of intelligence, of property, and of conscientiousness, and cannot be compounded of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cook/safe-popular-freedom-consists-of-four-things-the-diffusion-of-liberty/) [Joseph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-cook/) > [Political liberty, the peace of a nation, and science itself are gifts for which Fate demands a heavy tax in blood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/political-liberty-the-peace-of-a-nation-and-science-itself-are-gifts/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“Political liberty—that is, the ability of societies to rule themselves—does not depend only on the degree to which a society can mobilize opposition to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/political-liberty-that-is-the-ability-of-societies-to-rule-themselves/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) > [The laws ought to be so framed as to secure the safety of every citizen as much as possible. ... Political liberty does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/the-laws-ought-to-be-so-framed-as-to-secure-the-safety-of-every/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Economic liberty, not just political liberty, is at the heart of the American experiment. You're not really free if you don't have the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lina-khan/economic-liberty-not-just-political-liberty-is-at-the-heart-of-the/) [Lina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lina-khan/) > [ “The political liberty, of the subject, (separation of powers), is a tranquility of mind arising from the opinion each person has of \[their\] safety.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/the-political-liberty-of-the-subject-separation-of-powers-is-a/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Individuality is the aim of political liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only security men can have for their political liberty, consists in keeping their money in their own pockets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-only-security-men-can-have-for-their-political-liberty-consists/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-world-must-be-made-safe-for-democracy-its-peace-must-be-planted/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“For the primary goal of the American Revolution which transferred American life and introduced a new era in human history, was not the overthrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-bailyn/for-the-primary-goal-of-the-american-revolution-which-transferred/) [Bernard Bailyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-bailyn/) > [Forced to choose, the poor, like the rich, love money more than political liberty; and the only political freedom capable of enduring is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/forced-to-choose-the-poor-like-the-rich-love-money-more-than/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from-history-more-certain-or-more/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) ## More by Lord Hailsham > [Mercy is not what every criminal is entitled to. What he is entitled to is justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/mercy-is-not-what-every-criminal-is-entitled-to-what-he-is-entitled/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [A reasonable doubt is nothing more than a doubt for which reasons can be given. The fact that 1 or 2 men out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/a-reasonable-doubt-is-nothing-more-than-a-doubt-for-which-reasons-can/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/the-best-way-i-know-of-to-win-an-argument-is-to-start-by-being-in-the/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [You ought not to be ashamed of being bored. What you ought to be ashamed of is being boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/you-ought-not-to-be-ashamed-of-being-bored-what-you-ought-to-be/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [The introduction of religious passion into politics is the end of honest politics, and the introduction of politics into religion is the prostitution of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/the-introduction-of-religious-passion-into-politics-is-the-end-of/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [I regard freedom of expression as the primary right without which one can not have a proper functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/i-regard-freedom-of-expression-as-the-primary-right-without-which-one/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [We are in the presence of a recruiting drive systematically and deliberately undertaken by American business, by American universities, and to a lesser extent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/we-are-in-the-presence-of-a-recruiting-drive-systematically-and/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [If dictatorship is the concentration of power, freedom consists in its diffusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/if-dictatorship-is-the-concentration-of-power-freedom-consists-in-its/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [The moment politics becomes dull, democracy is in danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/the-moment-politics-becomes-dull-democracy-is-in-danger/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [Abuse is the very hallmark of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/abuse-is-the-very-hallmark-of-liberty/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [In a confrontation with the politics of power, the soft center has always melted away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/in-a-confrontation-with-the-politics-of-power-the-soft-center-has/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [A politician who enters public life may as well face the fact that the best way of not being found out is not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/a-politician-who-enters-public-life-may-as-well-face-the-fact-that/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) [Explore all 13 Lord Hailsham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) ## More Diffusion quotes > [There are reasons for believing that the English increase will far surpass others, and that the diffusion of the United States will ultimately produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-stiles/there-are-reasons-for-believing-that-the-english-increase-will-far/) [Ezra Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-stiles/) > [Safe popular freedom consists of four things, the diffusion of liberty, of intelligence, of property, and of conscientiousness, and cannot be compounded of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cook/safe-popular-freedom-consists-of-four-things-the-diffusion-of-liberty/) [Joseph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-cook/) > [The logic of all this seems to be that it is all right for young people in a democracy to learn about any civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-l-becker/the-logic-of-all-this-seems-to-be-that-it-is-all-right-for-young/) [Carl L. Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-l-becker/) > [The diffusion of taste is not the same thing as the improvement of taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-diffusion-of-taste-is-not-the-same-thing-as-the-improvement-of/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [It is hard to tell which is worse; the wide diffusion of things that are not true, or the suppression of things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-martineau/it-is-hard-to-tell-which-is-worse-the-wide-diffusion-of-things-that/) [Harriet Martineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-martineau/) > [Mind is the great lever of all things; human thought is the process by which human ends are ultimately answered; and the diffusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/mind-is-the-great-lever-of-all-things-human-thought-is-the-process-by/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [In the late 60s, 70s and possibly early 80s, social scientists were interested in researching the diffusion of innovation and studying the link between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/in-the-late-60s-70s-and-possibly-early-80s-social-scientists-were/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [Conventions of generality and mathematical elegance may be just as much barriers to the attainment and diffusion of knowledge as may contentment with particularity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/conventions-of-generality-and-mathematical-elegance-may-be-just-as/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [We stand in the shadow of Jefferson who believed that a society founded upon the rule of law and liberty was dependent upon public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-blunt/we-stand-in-the-shadow-of-jefferson-who-believed-that-a-society/) [Matt Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-blunt/) > [When I came to the Senate in 1997, the world was being redefined by forces no single country controlled or understood. The implosion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/when-i-came-to-the-senate-in-1997-the-world-was-being-redefined-by/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [I look to the diffusion of light and education as the resource most to be relied on for ameliorating the condition, promoting the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-look-to-the-diffusion-of-light-and-education-as-the-resource-most/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Wealth and speed are what the world admires, what each pursues. Railways, express mails, steamships and every possible facility for communications are the achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/wealth-and-speed-are-what-the-world-admires-what-each-pursues/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The clergy, with a few honorable exceptions, have in all modern countries been the avowed enemies of the diffusion of knowledge, the danger of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-buckle/the-clergy-with-a-few-honorable-exceptions-have-in-all-modern/) [Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-buckle/) > [In a large mass of muscle deprived of its circulation, the rate at which the recovery process can go on, after severe stimulation, depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-hill/in-a-large-mass-of-muscle-deprived-of-its-circulation-the-rate-at/) [Archibald Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-hill/) > [On the light side everyone thinks they are the most important, that their own understandings, or their group's understandings, are the key. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-barrios/on-the-light-side-everyone-thinks-they-are-the-most-important-that/) [Carlos Barrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-barrios/) [Browse all 72 Diffusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diffusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lord Hailsham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-the-diffusion-of-power/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Diffusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-the-diffusion-of-power/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/lord-hailsham-35248_diffusion_political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-th_1959553.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.” — Lord Hailsham", "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": "Lord Hailsham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Political liberty is nothing else but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-the-diffusion-of-power/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/political-liberty-is-nothing-else-but-the-diffusion-of-power/#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 } } ] } ```