America Quote by Taylor Caldwell
““What manner of men had lived in those days...who had so eagerly surrendered their sovereignty for a lie and a delusion? Why had they been so anxious to believe that the government could solve problems for them which had been pridefully solved, many times over, by their fathers? Had their characters become so weak and debased, so craven and emasculated, that offers of government dole had become more important than their liberty and their humanity? Had they not know that power delegated to the government becomes the club of tyrants? They must have known. They had their own history to remember, and the history of five thousand years. Yet, they had willingly and knowingly, with all this knowledge, declared themselves unfit to manage their own affairs and had placed their lives, which belonged to God only, in the hands of sinister men who had long plotted to enslave them, by wars, by "directives," by "emergencies." In the name of the American people, the American people had been made captive.””
About This Quote
People surrender their freedom to government promises, forgetting historical lessons and allowing tyranny to grow.
In simple terms: Citizens give up liberty for government aid, ignoring history.
Stay vigilant about personal freedom.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy discussions
- community activism
- education programs
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What freedoms are you willing to trade?
- How can societies preserve liberty?
Overreliance on authority can erode self‑governance.