--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no slavery but ignorance." description: "\"There is no slavery but ignorance.\" — Robert Green Ingersoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png" --- # There is no slavery but ignorance. ![“There is no slavery but ignorance.” quote by Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png) > “There is no slavery but ignorance.” [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance, not oppression, is the true form of slavery, emphasizing the power of knowledge. **In simple terms:** Ignorance is a kind of slavery. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge to free yourself. Themes education freedom knowledge Mood hopeful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - social reform - political activism Key Concepts critical thinking self-education Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge would free you? - How do you combat ignorance around you? A Different Perspective Access to information can be restricted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-ignorance-2593995/) ## Related quotes > [Freedom believes in education - the salvation of slavery is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/freedom-believes-in-education-the-salvation-of-slavery-is-ignorance/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Every time that a people which has long crouched in slavery and ignorance is moved to its lowest depths there appear monsters and heroes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-de-lamartine/every-time-that-a-people-which-has-long-crouched-in-slavery-and/) [Alphonse de Lamartine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-de-lamartine/) > [“There is no slavery but ignorance. Liberty is the child of intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-liberty-is-the-child-of-intelligence/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [The first reason for mans inner slavery is his ignorance, and above all, his ignorance of himself. Without self-knowledge, without understanding the working and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gurdjieff/the-first-reason-for-mans-inner-slavery-is-his-ignorance-and-above/) [George Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gurdjieff/) > [The first reason for people's slavery is our ignorance, and above all, our ignorance of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/the-first-reason-for-people-s-slavery-is-our-ignorance-and-above-all/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Maybe the same instruments and tools that have been used to keep people in slavery and ignorance could potentially be used to liberate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/maybe-the-same-instruments-and-tools-that-have-been-used-to-keep/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/war-is-peace-freedom-is-slavery-ignorance-is-strength/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/ignorance-is-the-soil-in-which-belief-in-miracles-grows/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Slavery is the daughter of darkness: an ignorant people is a blind instrument of its own destruction”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/slavery-is-the-daughter-of-darkness-an-ignorant-people-is-a-blind/) [Simón Bolívar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom… The subjection of individuals will increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-that-they-would-rather-be-equal/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/knowledge-is-freedom-and-ignorance-is-slavery/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [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/) ## More by Robert Green Ingersoll > [Our hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all religions come from that hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/our-hope-of-immortality-does-not-come-from-any-religions-but-nearly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I read the other day an account of a meeting between John Knox and John Calvin. Imagine a dialogue between a pestilence and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-read-the-other-day-an-account-of-a-meeting-between-john-knox-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Shakespeare has done far more for the world than the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/shakespeare-has-done-far-more-for-the-world-than-the-bible/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Every man who expresses an honest thought is a soldier in the army of intellectual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/every-man-who-expresses-an-honest-thought-is-a-soldier-in-the-army-of/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Liberty is the condition of progress. Without Liberty, there remains only barbarism. Without Liberty, there can be no civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/liberty-is-the-condition-of-progress-without-liberty-there-remains/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [It has been said that a man of genius should select his ancestors with great care - and yet there does not seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/it-has-been-said-that-a-man-of-genius-should-select-his-ancestors/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [When passions and appetites are stronger than the intellect, men are savages; when the intellect governs the passions, when the passions are servants, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/when-passions-and-appetites-are-stronger-than-the-intellect-men-are/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [In spite of my surroundings, of my education, I had no love for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/in-spite-of-my-surroundings-of-my-education-i-had-no-love-for-god/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The combined wisdom and genius of all mankind cannot possibly conceive of an argument against liberty of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-combined-wisdom-and-genius-of-all-mankind-cannot-possibly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Calvin founded a little theocracy, modeled after the Old Testament, and succeeded in erecting the most detestable government that ever existed, except the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/calvin-founded-a-little-theocracy-modeled-after-the-old-testament-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. Neither do I believe in revenge. No man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-do-not-believe-in-loving-enemies-i-have-pretty-hard-work-to-love-my/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [What is it that distinguishes you and me from the lower animals - from the beasts? More, I say, than anything else, human sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/what-is-it-that-distinguishes-you-and-me-from-the-lower-animals-from/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The literature of many lands is rich with the tributes that gratitude, admiration and love have paid to the great and honored dead. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-literature-of-many-lands-is-rich-with-the-tributes-that-gratitude/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Explore all 640 Robert Green Ingersoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## More Ignorance quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“If knowledge does not liberate the self from the self, then ignorance is better than such knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-sanai/if-knowledge-does-not-liberate-the-self-from-the-self-then-ignorance/) [Hakim Sanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-sanai/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) [John P Lintz Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-lintz-sr/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) [Browse all 5,657 Ignorance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no slavery but ignorance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Green Ingersoll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ignorance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/robert-green-ingersoll-361_ignorance_there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance-240219_2402192.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no slavery but ignorance.” — Robert Green Ingersoll", "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": "Robert Green Ingersoll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no slavery but ignorance.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/there-is-no-slavery-but-ignorance/#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 } } ] } ```