--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Freedom is necessary for two reasons…" description: "\"Freedom is necessary for two reasons. It's necessary for the individual, because the individual, no matter how good the society is, every individual ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_ambition_freedom-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-it_193690.jpg" --- # Freedom is necessary for two reasons. It's necessary for… ![“Freedom is necessary for two reasons. It's necessary for the individual, because the individual, no matter how good the society is, every individual has hopes, fears, ambitions, creative urges, that transcend the purposes of his society. Therefore we have a long history of freedom, where people…” quote by Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_ambition_freedom-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-it_193690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_ambition_freedom-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-it_193690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_ambition_freedom-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-it_193690.jpg) > “Freedom is necessary for two reasons. It's necessary for the individual, because the individual, no matter how good the society is, every individual has hopes, fears, ambitions, creative urges, that transcend the purposes of his society. Therefore we have a long history of freedom, where people try to extricate themselves from tyranny for the sake of art, for the sake of science, for the sake of religion, for the sake of the conscience of the individual - this freedom is necessary for the individual.” [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom fuels personal growth and societal progress, allowing individuals to pursue art, science, religion, and conscience beyond collective aims. **In simple terms:** Freedom is essential for personal and cultural development. Key Takeaway Protect individual liberty. Themes freedom individualism creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical political When to use this quote - artistic creation - scientific research - religious practice - personal decision‑making Key Concepts philosophy political theory human nature Questions to Reflect On - What limits should society place on freedom? - How does personal liberty benefit the community? A Different Perspective Freedom can clash with social order, causing conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Having hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-hope/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-freedom/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) ## Related quotes > [Certain faults are necessary to the individual if he is to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/certain-faults-are-necessary-to-the-individual-if-he-is-to-exist/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is thus necessary that the individual should finally come to realize that his own ego is of no importance in comparison with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/it-is-thus-necessary-that-the-individual-should-finally-come-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Ultimately freedom is necessary for a society, because every despotic society - for instance, the Russian society - lives on the basis of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/ultimately-freedom-is-necessary-for-a-society-because-every-despotic/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [I feel like war should occur only for the most vital and necessary reasons, and only then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/i-feel-like-war-should-occur-only-for-the-most-vital-and-necessary/) [Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/) > [“The alteration of the past is necessary for two reasons, one of which is subsidiary and, so to speak, precautionary. The subsidiary reason is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-alteration-of-the-past-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-one-of-which-2/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Character is not the enemy of self-expression and personal freedom, it is their necessary precondition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-q-wilson/character-is-not-the-enemy-of-self-expression-and-personal-freedom-it/) [James Q. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-q-wilson/) > [In order to have enough freedom, it is necessary to have too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/in-order-to-have-enough-freedom-it-is-necessary-to-have-too-much/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Humans were free before the word freedom became necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/humans-were-free-before-the-word-freedom-became-necessary/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Our goal was not freedom. Freedom was the necessary prerequisite to get to equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/our-goal-was-not-freedom-freedom-was-the-necessary-prerequisite-to/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“It must not be forgotten that it is especially dangerous to enslave men in the minor details of life. For my own part, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/it-must-not-be-forgotten-that-it-is-especially-dangerous-to-enslave-2/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [It must not be forgotten that it is especially dangerous to enslave men in the minor details of life. For my part, I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/it-must-not-be-forgotten-that-it-is-especially-dangerous-to-enslave/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“There is something beyond freedom that people need: work, love, belief in something, commitment to something. Freedom is not enough.It's necessary but it'd not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/there-is-something-beyond-freedom-that-people-need-work-love-belief/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Freedom is necessary for honesty, honesty for integrity, integrity for power, power for creativity, and all of them for intimacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-johnson/freedom-is-necessary-for-honesty-honesty-for-integrity-integrity-for/) [Sonia Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-johnson/) > [Freedom to me is a luxury of being able to follow the path of the heart, to keep the magic in your life. Freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/freedom-to-me-is-a-luxury-of-being-able-to-follow-the-path-of-the/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Perfect freedom is as necessary to the health and vigor of commerce as it is to the health and vigor of citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/perfect-freedom-is-as-necessary-to-the-health-and-vigor-of-commerce/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) ## More by Reinhold Niebuhr > [There are evidently limits to the achievements of science; and there are irresolvable contradictions both between prosperity and virtue, and between happiness and ''the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-evidently-limits-to-the-achievements-of-science-and-there/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The essence of man is his freedom. Sin is committed in that freedom. Sin can therefore not be attributed to a defect in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-essence-of-man-is-his-freedom-sin-is-committed-in-that-freedom/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Liberalism makes this mistake in regard to private property and Marxism makes it in regard to socialized property... The Marxist illusion is partly derived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/liberalism-makes-this-mistake-in-regard-to-private-property-and/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Human beings are endowed by nature with both selfish and unselfish impulses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/human-beings-are-endowed-by-nature-with-both-selfish-and-unselfish/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [There are historic situations in which refusal to defend the inheritance of a civilization, however imperfect, against tyranny and aggression may result in consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-historic-situations-in-which-refusal-to-defend-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The pretensions of final truth are always partlyan effort to obscure a darkly felt consciousness of the limits of human knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-pretensions-of-final-truth-are-always-partlyan-effort-to-obscure/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [All social cooperation on a larger scale than the most intimate social group requires a measure of coercion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/all-social-cooperation-on-a-larger-scale-than-the-most-intimate/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Man is always worse than most people suspect, but also generally better than most people dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/man-is-always-worse-than-most-people-suspect-but-also-generally/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [When a church reaches up beyond its group and tries to enforce its standards upon a society that doesn't accept these standards, and perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/when-a-church-reaches-up-beyond-its-group-and-tries-to-enforce-its/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [...(I)ndividual selfhood is expressed in the self's capacity for self-transcendence and not in its rational capacity for conceptual and analytic procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/i-ndividual-selfhood-is-expressed-in-the-self-s-capacity-for-self/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The whole art of politics consists in directing rationally the irrationalities of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-whole-art-of-politics-consists-in-directing-rationally-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Religion is so frequently a source of confusion in political life, and so frequently dangerous to democracy, precisely because it introduces absolutes into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/religion-is-so-frequently-a-source-of-confusion-in-political-life-and/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Self-righteousness is the inevitable fruit of simple moral judgments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/self-righteousness-is-the-inevitable-fruit-of-simple-moral-judgments/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) [Explore all 200 Reinhold Niebuhr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Freedom is necessary for two reasons. 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