--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no such thing as part freedom." description: "\"There's no such thing as part freedom.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/nelson-mandela-248_freedom_there-s-no-such-thing-as-part-freedom-21_2108993.jpg" --- # There's no such thing as part freedom. ![“There's no such thing as part freedom.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/nelson-mandela-248_freedom_there-s-no-such-thing-as-part-freedom-21_2108993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/nelson-mandela-248_freedom_there-s-no-such-thing-as-part-freedom-21_2108993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/nelson-mandela-248_freedom_there-s-no-such-thing-as-part-freedom-21_2108993.jpg) > “There's no such thing as part freedom.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom cannot be granted by others; it must be earned through personal responsibility and action. **In simple terms:** Freedom requires personal effort. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for your own freedom. Themes responsibility freedom self‑determination Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - personal growth - leadership - community organizing Key Concepts political philosophy personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you take ownership of your freedom? - What responsibilities come with freedom? A Different Perspective Freedom alone does not guarantee true liberty; systemic barriers may persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [“she would be free of mundane care, she was a pure will towards right. She had sold herself, but she had a new freedom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/she-would-be-free-of-mundane-care-she-was-a-pure-will-towards-right/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [“Freedom may be the most important thing in life, but there's such a thing as too much freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/freedom-may-be-the-most-important-thing-in-life-but-there-s-such-a/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Every artist knows that there is no such thing as "freedom" in art. The first thing an artist does when he begins a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/every-artist-knows-that-there-is-no-such-thing-as-freedom-in-art-the/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The best thing you can give someone is the freedom to make their own mind up - and then, if it's not working out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/the-best-thing-you-can-give-someone-is-the-freedom-to-make-their-own/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/forces-beyond-your-control-can-take-away-everything-you-possess/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [What a terrible thing could be freedom. Trees were free when they were uprooted by the wind; ships were free when they were torn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/what-a-terrible-thing-could-be-freedom-trees-were-free-when-they-were/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [In Czechoslovakia there is no such thing as freedom of the press. In the United States there is no such thing as freedom from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-navratilova/in-czechoslovakia-there-is-no-such-thing-as-freedom-of-the-press-in/) [Martina Navratilova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-navratilova/) > [“When you want to fully isolate yourself from the madnesses of the people, find a wooden cottage in the middle of nowhere by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-want-to-fully-isolate-yourself-from-the-madnesses-of-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Freedom is not a constant attribute which we either "have" or "have not." In fact, there is no such thing as "freedom" except as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-is-not-a-constant-attribute-which-we-either-have-or-have-not/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [There is no such thing as Freedom (though it is the most important condition of human life, after Humility, -which does not exist either).…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/there-is-no-such-thing-as-freedom-though-it-is-the-most-important/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“Freedom is not something we have, there is no such thing as freedom. Freedom is a quality of our personality: we are more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-is-not-something-we-have-there-is-no-such-thing-as-freedom/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Time is the very lens through which ye see—small and clear, as men see through the wrong end of a telescope—something that would otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/time-is-the-very-lens-through-which-ye-see-small-and-clear-as-men-see/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“You wish to be free, but there is no such thing as freedom. You can redecorate dungeon to give illusion of freedom, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-crane/you-wish-to-be-free-but-there-is-no-such-thing-as-freedom-you-can/) [Carolyn Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-crane/) > [That thing is Freedom: the gift whereby ye most resemble your Maker and are yourselves part of eternal reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-thing-is-freedom-the-gift-whereby-ye-most-resemble-your-maker/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forces-beyond-your-control-can-take-away-everything-you-possess-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. 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