--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As soon as laws are necessary for men…" description: "\"As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.\" — Pythagoras" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg" --- # As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer… ![“As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.” quote by Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg) > “As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.” [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom is lost when laws become necessary for people. **In simple terms:** Laws can limit freedom. Key Takeaway Seek minimal regulation to preserve liberty. Themes freedom law society Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government policy - personal behavior - social contracts Key Concepts political philosophy civil rights autonomy Questions to Reflect On - When are laws justified? - How balance freedom with safety? A Different Perspective Some rules protect vulnerable groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Laws Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-necessary-1950982/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-longer-499365/) [Necessary Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-men-476504/) [Soon Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-laws-3268270/) ## Related quotes > [For as laws are necessary that good manners be preserved, so there is need of good manners that law may be maintained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-as-laws-are-necessary-that-good-manners-be-preserved-so-there-is/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is necessary men should be tried and purged and purified and made perfect through suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/it-is-necessary-men-should-be-tried-and-purged-and-purified-and-made/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [I always get back to the question, is it really necessary that men should consume so much of their bodily and mental energies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allingham/i-always-get-back-to-the-question-is-it-really-necessary-that-men/) [William Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-allingham/) > [There is nothing so necessary for men as dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/there-is-nothing-so-necessary-for-men-as-dancing/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [It is not necessary for all men to be great in action. The greatest and sublimest power is often simple patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-bushnell/it-is-not-necessary-for-all-men-to-be-great-in-action-the-greatest/) [Horace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-bushnell/) > [“Faith is necessary to men; woe to him who believes in nothing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/faith-is-necessary-to-men-woe-to-him-who-believes-in-nothing/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [It is necessary for men to be deceived in religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-terentius-varro/it-is-necessary-for-men-to-be-deceived-in-religion/) [Marcus Terentius Varro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-terentius-varro/) > [Daily, every moment, prayer is necessary to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/daily-every-moment-prayer-is-necessary-to-men/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures. Certainly he ought not so to act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/an-infinite-god-ought-to-be-able-to-protect-himself-without-going-in-2/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [As good government is an empire of laws, how shall your laws be made? In a large society, inhabiting an extensive country, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/as-good-government-is-an-empire-of-laws-how-shall-your-laws-be-made/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [How I wish we lived in a time when laws were not necessary to safeguard us from discrimination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/how-i-wish-we-lived-in-a-time-when-laws-were-not-necessary-to/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [As labor creates the wealth of the country, we demand the passage of such laws as may be necessary to protect it in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-peter-altgeld/as-labor-creates-the-wealth-of-the-country-we-demand-the-passage-of/) [John Peter Altgeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-peter-altgeld/) > [For as laws are necessary that good manners may be preserved, so there is need of good manner that laws may be maintained. \[It.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-as-laws-are-necessary-that-good-manners-may-be-preserved-so-there/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everything happens through immutable laws, ...everything is necessary... There are, some persons say, some events which are necessary and others which are not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/everything-happens-through-immutable-laws-everything-is-necessary/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [You must not deprive the colonies of their right to make laws for themselves. Parliament should only make laws necessary for the empire as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hutchinson/you-must-not-deprive-the-colonies-of-their-right-to-make-laws-for/) [Thomas Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hutchinson/) ## More by Pythagoras > [The oldest, shortest words - 'yes' and 'no' - are those which require the most thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/the-oldest-shortest-words-yes-and-no-are-those-which-require-the-most/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Truth is so great a perfection, that if God would render himself visible to men, he would choose light for his body and truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/truth-is-so-great-a-perfection-that-if-god-would-render-himself/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/none-can-be-free-who-is-a-slave-to-and-ruled-by-his-passions/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Above all have respect for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/above-all-have-respect-for-yourself/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-long-as-men-massacre-animals-they-will-kill-each-other-indeed-he/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [We ought so to behave to one another as to avoid making enemies of our friends, and at the same time to make friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/we-ought-so-to-behave-to-one-another-as-to-avoid-making-enemies-of/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [There is no word or action but has its echo in Eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/there-is-no-word-or-action-but-has-its-echo-in-eternity/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Know thyself and thou wilt know the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/know-thyself-and-thou-wilt-know-the-universe/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/geometry-is-knowledge-of-the-eternally-existent/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/if-there-be-light-then-there-is-darkness-if-cold-heat-if-height-depth/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [“There is geometry in the humming of the string.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/there-is-geometry-in-the-humming-of-the-string/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/above-the-cloud-with-its-shadow-is-the-star-with-its-light-above-all/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [If men with fleshly mortals must be fed, and chew with bleeding teeth the breathing bread; what else is this but to devour our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/if-men-with-fleshly-mortals-must-be-fed-and-chew-with-bleeding-teeth/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [The oldest, shortest words - yes and o - are those which require the most thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/the-oldest-shortest-words-yes-and-o-are-those-which-require-the-most/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [When the wise man opens his mouth, the beauties of his soul present themselves to the view, like the statues in a temple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/when-the-wise-man-opens-his-mouth-the-beauties-of-his-soul-present/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) [Explore all 174 Pythagoras quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) ## 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. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pythagoras" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-they-are-no-longer-fit-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-they-are-no-longer-fit-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/pythagoras-2290_freedom_as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-th_1152976.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.” — Pythagoras", "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": "Pythagoras", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As soon as laws are necessary...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-they-are-no-longer-fit-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/as-soon-as-laws-are-necessary-for-men-they-are-no-longer-fit-for/#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 } } ] } ```