--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our country's founders cherished liberty…" description: "\"Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.\" — Ron Paul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png" --- # Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy. ![“Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.” quote by Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png) > “Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.” [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Founders valued individual liberty over majority rule, implying democracy can threaten freedom. **In simple terms:** Liberty prioritized over democracy. Key Takeaway Guard liberty against majoritarian excess. Themes freedom constitutionalism political theory Mood political thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debate - constitutional law - civic education - activism - media commentary Key Concepts libertarianism civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can democracy safeguard freedom? - What checks prevent tyranny of the majority? A Different Perspective Democracy can also protect liberty if designed well. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing in and practising the principles of the rule of law is, with our liberty and democracy, among the most powerful weapons we have.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/believing-in-and-practising-the-principles-of-the-rule-of-law-is-with/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerated the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-liberty-of-a-democracy-is-not-safe-if-the-people-tolerated-the/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty. Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/concentrated-power-has-always-been-the-enemy-of-liberty-democracy-is/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [If markets are leading us in directions that we, as a democratic society, decide are not compatible with our vision of liberty or democracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lina-khan/if-markets-are-leading-us-in-directions-that-we-as-a-democratic/) [Lina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lina-khan/) > [From Samuel Adams to Patrick Henry to Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Hamilton, all the Founders intended religion to provide a moral anchor for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bennett/from-samuel-adams-to-patrick-henry-to-benjamin-franklin-to-alexander/) [William Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bennett/) > [What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/what-difference-does-it-make-to-the-dead-the-orphans-and-the-homeless/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Philadelphia, the foundation of freedom, liberty and democracy, I still believe in the idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/philadelphia-the-foundation-of-freedom-liberty-and-democracy-i-still/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) > [The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-liberty-of-a-democracy-is-not-safe-if-the-people-tolerate-the/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [“The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-delano-roosevelt/the-first-truth-is-that-the-liberty-of-a-democracy-is-not-safe-if-the/) [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-delano-roosevelt/) > [Democracy and liberty are not the same. Democracy is little more than mob rule, while liberty refers to the sovereignty of the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/democracy-and-liberty-are-not-the-same-democracy-is-little-more-than/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [The act of voting by ordinary Iraqis in the face of extreme danger confirms President Bush's belief that people around the globe, when given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/the-act-of-voting-by-ordinary-iraqis-in-the-face-of-extreme-danger/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [“What does it matter to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/what-does-it-matter-to-the-dead-the-orphans-and-the-homeless-whether/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Liberty and democracy are eternal enemies, and every one knows it who has ever given any sober reflection to the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-and-democracy-are-eternal-enemies-and-every-one-knows-it-who/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“To the Congress: Unhappy events abroad have retaught us two simple truths about the liberty of a democratic people. The first truth is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/to-the-congress-unhappy-events-abroad-have-retaught-us-two-simple/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## More by Ron Paul > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [I'm an imperfect messenger, but the message is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-m-an-imperfect-messenger-but-the-message-is-perfect/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [History has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/history-has-shown-that-the-masses-have-been-quite-receptive-to-the/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The reality is that our military presence on foreign soil is as offensive to the people that live there as armed Chinese troops would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-reality-is-that-our-military-presence-on-foreign-soil-is-as/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Right now, nobody legalized paper money. Where did that come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/right-now-nobody-legalized-paper-money-where-did-that-come-from/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/real-patriotism-is-a-willingness-to-challenge-the-government-when-it/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/expect-the-rapidly-expanding-homeschooling-movement-to-play-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“Intellectually and compassionately explaining the reason freedom works is required for credibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/intellectually-and-compassionately-explaining-the-reason-freedom/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Governments have nothing. They can't create anything, they never have. All they can do is steal from one group and give it to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/governments-have-nothing-they-can-t-create-anything-they-never-have/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Why is it is claimed that if people won't or can't take care of their own needs, that people in government can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/why-is-it-is-claimed-that-if-people-won-t-or-can-t-take-care-of-their/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [It is dissent from government policies which defines the true Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/it-is-dissent-from-government-policies-which-defines-the-true-patriot/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-moral-and-constitutional-obligations-of-our-representatives-in/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [I will veto any spending bill that contains funding for Planned Parenthood, facilities that perform abortion and all government family planning schemes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-will-veto-any-spending-bill-that-contains-funding-for-planned/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Prices are going up. Unemployment is continue to go up. And we have not had the necessary correction for the financial bubble created by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/prices-are-going-up-unemployment-is-continue-to-go-up-and-we-have-not/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Scientifically, there's no debate over whether the fetus is alive and human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/scientifically-there-s-no-debate-over-whether-the-fetus-is-alive-and/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) [Explore all 411 Ron Paul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Paul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty-not-democracy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty-not-democracy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ron-paul-686_country_our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty_2748671.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.” — Ron Paul", "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": "Ron Paul", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our country's founders cherished liberty, not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty-not-democracy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/our-country-s-founders-cherished-liberty-not-democracy/#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 } } ] } ```