--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I saw the charter as an expression of my…" description: "\"I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view that the subject of law must be the individual human being; the law must permit the individual ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png" --- # I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view… ![“I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view that the subject of law must be the individual human being; the law must permit the individual to fulfil himself or herself to the utmost.” quote by Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png) > “I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view that the subject of law must be the individual human being; the law must permit the individual to fulfil himself or herself to the utmost.” [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law should prioritize the individual, allowing each person to achieve their fullest potential. **In simple terms:** Law must serve individuals to reach their best. Key Takeaway Empower individuals through law. Themes individual rights law human potential Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - legal reform - education - personal development Key Concepts liberalism humanism autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can laws protect individuals while maintaining social order? - What limits should be placed on individual autonomy? A Different Perspective Balancing individual freedom with societal needs can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charter/) [Charter Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charter-expression-5230182/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Human Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-law-1325609/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-individual-954693/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Permit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permit/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever the human law may be, neither an individual nor a nation can commit the least act of injustice against the obscurest individual without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whatever-the-human-law-may-be-neither-an-individual-nor-a-nation-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no human law or law of God or national law that states that any healthy being has to permit the snake to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-kaltenbrunner/there-is-no-human-law-or-law-of-god-or-national-law-that-states-that/) [Ernst Kaltenbrunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-kaltenbrunner/) > [A self-willed man obeys a different law, the one law I, too, hold absolutely sacred the human law in himself, his own individual will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/a-self-willed-man-obeys-a-different-law-the-one-law-i-too-hold/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [The State calls its own violence, law; but that of the individual, crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/the-state-calls-its-own-violence-law-but-that-of-the-individual-crime/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [There's no question that any of us who are doing an honest job in government could do a lot better in private industry. During…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/there-s-no-question-that-any-of-us-who-are-doing-an-honest-job-in/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [“As they cannot be defined univocally, nor irrefutably demonstrated, so-called “human rights” serve as a pretext for the individual who rebels against a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/as-they-cannot-be-defined-univocally-nor-irrefutably-demonstrated-so/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [Man has made 32 million laws since THE COMMANDMENTS were handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai more than three thousand years ago, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-b-demille/man-has-made-32-million-laws-since-the-commandments-were-handed-down/) [Cecil B. DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-b-demille/) > [“Religious belief does not do away with either natural or human law from which sovereignty is derived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-brook/religious-belief-does-not-do-away-with-either-natural-or-human-law/) [Timothy Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-brook/) > [Human law cannot punish or forbid all evil, since while doing away with evils it would do away with many good things, which would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/human-law-cannot-punish-or-forbid-all-evil-since-while-doing-away/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“A legalist is not someone who places divine law above all else. A legalist is someone who places human law above all else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-rienow/a-legalist-is-not-someone-who-places-divine-law-above-all-else-a/) [Rob Rienow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-rienow/) > [I didn't believe it could be so monstrous. It's wrong to be so absorbed in divine law as not to perceive human law. Death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-didn-t-believe-it-could-be-so-monstrous-it-s-wrong-to-be-so/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Civilisation needs more than the law to hold it together. You see, all mankind are not equally willing to accept as divine justice what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/civilisation-needs-more-than-the-law-to-hold-it-together-you-see-all/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [“An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/an-unjust-law-is-a-human-law-that-is-not-rooted-in-eternal-law-and/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [American labor rights activist, on activities of the National Farm Workers Association Human law may know no distinction among men in respect of rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/american-labor-rights-activist-on-activities-of-the-national-farm/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Nine-tenths of human law is about possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/nine-tenths-of-human-law-is-about-possession/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More by Pierre Trudeau > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Obviously, the state's responsibility should be to legislate rules for a well-ordered society. It has no right or duty to creep into the bedrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/obviously-the-state-s-responsibility-should-be-to-legislate-rules-for/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think that religions must seek peace and love and therefore be pacifist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-religions-must-seek-peace-and-love-and-therefore-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Freedom can flow from order. That is not to say that freedom always flows from order because you can have a totalitarian order and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/freedom-can-flow-from-order-that-is-not-to-say-that-freedom-always/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Every time I have a political rally I meet some people who say, "I need a job."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/every-time-i-have-a-political-rally-i-meet-some-people-who-say-i-need/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I'm far from believing that we've solved the problem of violence in the 20th century and that's why I'm not discouraged that we still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-m-far-from-believing-that-we-ve-solved-the-problem-of-violence-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Jesuits were good educators, exceptional teachers. In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-jesuits-were-good-educators-exceptional-teachers-in-an-era-and-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United States has produced. We're different people from you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/americans-should-never-underestimate-the-constant-pressure-on-canada/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-must-say-that-give-peace-a-chance-has-always-seemed-to-me-to-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. What's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/there-s-no-place-for-the-state-in-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation-what-s/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Canadian community must invest, for the defence and better appreciation of the French language, as much time, energy, and money as are required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-canadian-community-must-invest-for-the-defence-and-better/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Perhaps the rediscovery of our humanity, and the potential of the human spirit which we have read about in legends of older civilizations, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/perhaps-the-rediscovery-of-our-humanity-and-the-potential-of-the/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) [Explore all 129 Pierre Trudeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## More Charter quotes > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [For all the civilians saved thanks to the presence of peacekeepers, there have been those who were lost - the United Nations personnel who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-eliasson/for-all-the-civilians-saved-thanks-to-the-presence-of-peacekeepers/) [Jan Eliasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-eliasson/) > [ They \[Mc Donalds\] take people and give them a first job, which enables them to get a second job. They do a very good… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/they-mc-donalds-take-people-and-give-them-a-first-job-which-enables/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The U.N. guards the vital principles entrenched in its charter, notably the sovereign equality of states and the inadmissibility of interference in their internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-u-n-guards-the-vital-principles-entrenched-in-its-charter-notably/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [The Olympic Charter says winter sports must be played on snow or ice, so the Chess Federation says they'll play with ice pieces. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/the-olympic-charter-says-winter-sports-must-be-played-on-snow-or-ice/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Our liberties do not come from charters; for these are only the declaration of pre-existing rights. They do not depend on parchments or seals;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/our-liberties-do-not-come-from-charters-for-these-are-only-the/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [From the time of the North Briton of the unprincipled Wilkes , a notion has been entertained that the moral spine in Scotland is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galt/from-the-time-of-the-north-briton-of-the-unprincipled-wilkes-a-notion/) [John Galt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galt/) > [I would argue that the charter schools are really good at building programming and curriculum around the issues and the interests of the kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-baker/i-would-argue-that-the-charter-schools-are-really-good-at-building/) [Charlie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-baker/) > [We should totally ban for-profit charters. For-profit's first obligation is to its stockholders, not to its children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-should-totally-ban-for-profit-charters-for-profit-s-first/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [Science is properly more scrupulous than dogma. Dogma gives a charter to mistake, but the very breath of science is a contest with mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/science-is-properly-more-scrupulous-than-dogma-dogma-gives-a-charter/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The Society is based on that great bottom law of human right, that nothing but crime can forfeit liberty. That no condition of birth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dwight-weld/the-society-is-based-on-that-great-bottom-law-of-human-right-that/) [Theodore Dwight Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dwight-weld/) > [Let me tell you something: I have members in my charter who, after paying their rent and house bills and taking care of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-zito/let-me-tell-you-something-i-have-members-in-my-charter-who-after/) [Chuck Zito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-zito/) > [Charter schools are not a panacea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/charter-schools-are-not-a-panacea/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [The Senate, compared to the House, is where things are supposed to slow down, by design, Founding Father design. The Founding Fathers were hell-bent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-senate-compared-to-the-house-is-where-things-are-supposed-to-slow/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Browse all 219 Charter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view that the subject of law must be the individual human being; the law must permit the individual to fulfil himself or herself to the utmost.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Trudeau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my-long-held-view-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Charter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my-long-held-view-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/pierre-trudeau-3495_charter_i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my_1453084.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I saw the charter as an expression of my long-held view that the subject of law must be the individual human…” — Pierre Trudeau", "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": "Pierre Trudeau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I saw the charter as an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my-long-held-view-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-saw-the-charter-as-an-expression-of-my-long-held-view-that-the/#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 } } ] } ```