--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without doubt one is allowed to resist…" description: "\"Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust aggressor to one's life, one's goods or one's physical integrity; sometimes, even 'til the ag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg" --- # Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust… ![“Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust aggressor to one's life, one's goods or one's physical integrity; sometimes, even 'til the aggressor's death... In fact, this act is aimed at preserving one's life or one's goods and to make the aggressor powerless. Thus, it is a good act…” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg) > “Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust aggressor to one's life, one's goods or one's physical integrity; sometimes, even 'til the aggressor's death... In fact, this act is aimed at preserving one's life or one's goods and to make the aggressor powerless. Thus, it is a good act, which is the right of the victim.” [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑defense is morally permissible when protecting life, property, or bodily integrity, even to the point of lethal force against an aggressor. **In simple terms:** Defending oneself is a right. Key Takeaway Know when and how to protect yourself legally and ethically. Themes self‑defense justice rights Mood cautious serious Type ethical legal When to use this quote - personal safety - legal contexts - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral law legitimate force Questions to Reflect On - When is force proportionate? - How do cultural norms affect self‑defense rights? A Different Perspective Excessive force may exceed moral justification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggressor Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressor-life-3025094/) [Aggressor Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressor-powerless-3025095/) [Aggressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressors/) [Allowed Resist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-resist-3025092/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Goods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goods/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerless/) [Resist Unjust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resist-unjust-3025091/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Unjust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjust/) [Unjust Aggressor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjust-aggressor-3025093/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I emphasize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-these-cases-where-there-is-an-unjust-aggression-i-can-only-say-2/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor,... I underscore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-these-cases-where-there-is-an-unjust-aggression-i-can-only-say/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/our-arms-must-be-mighty-ready-for-instant-action-so-that-no-potential/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/) [Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/) [Dmitriy Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitriy-ustinov/) > [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) ## More by Thomas Aquinas > [Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/grace-does-not-destroy-nature-it-perfects-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Justice is in subjects as well as in rulers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/justice-is-in-subjects-as-well-as-in-rulers/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“A capacity as such is directed to an act. Wherefore we seek to know the nature of a capacity from the act to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/a-capacity-as-such-is-directed-to-an-act-wherefore-we-seek-to-know/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Yet no-one can say that God has not a Word, for it would follow that God is most foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/yet-no-one-can-say-that-god-has-not-a-word-for-it-would-follow-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Unbelief is the greatest of sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/unbelief-is-the-greatest-of-sins/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If forgers and malefactors are put to death by the secular power, there is much more reason for excommunicating and even putting to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/if-forgers-and-malefactors-are-put-to-death-by-the-secular-power/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/when-fear-is-excessive-it-can-make-many-a-man-despair/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Now, nothing can be brought from potentiality to actual existence except through something actually existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/now-nothing-can-be-brought-from-potentiality-to-actual-existence/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/to-convert-somebody-go-and-take-them-by-the-hand-and-guide-them/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [ By the divine providence \[animals\] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/by-the-divine-providence-animals-are-intended-for-man-s-use-hence-it/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“What causes love, since it is a passion, is its object; and since it is a sort of affinity or agreement with the object,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/what-causes-love-since-it-is-a-passion-is-its-object-and-since-it-is/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [The image of God always abides in the soul, whether this image be obsolete and clouded over as to amount to almost nothing; or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-image-of-god-always-abides-in-the-soul-whether-this-image-be/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Charity, by which God and neighbor are loved, is the most perfect friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/charity-by-which-god-and-neighbor-are-loved-is-the-most-perfect/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Beauty adds to goodness a relation to the cognitive faculty: so that "good" means that which simply pleases the appetite; while the "beautiful" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/beauty-adds-to-goodness-a-relation-to-the-cognitive-faculty-so-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“God is not, like creatures, made up of parts. God is spirit, without bodily dimensions. Firstly, no body can cause change without itself being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/god-is-not-like-creatures-made-up-of-parts-god-is-spirit-without/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) [Explore all 357 Thomas Aquinas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## More Aggressors quotes > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/) [Dmitriy Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitriy-ustinov/) > [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/) [Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/) > [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/our-arms-must-be-mighty-ready-for-instant-action-so-that-no-potential/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [In the end, the aggressors always destroy themselves, making way for others who know how to cooperate and get along. Life is much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/in-the-end-the-aggressors-always-destroy-themselves-making-way-for/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) [Browse all 89 Aggressors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust aggressor to one's life, one's goods or one's physical integrity; sometimes, even 'til the aggressor's death... In fact, this act is aimed at preserving one's life or one's goods and to make the aggressor powerless. Thus, it is a good act, which is the right of the victim.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Aquinas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-against-the-unjust-aggressor/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aggressors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-against-the-unjust-aggressor/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/thomas-aquinas-837_aggressors_without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-a_2740612.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Without doubt one is allowed to resist against the unjust aggressor to one's life, one's goods or one's…” — Thomas Aquinas", "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": "Thomas Aquinas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Without doubt one is allowed to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-against-the-unjust-aggressor/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/without-doubt-one-is-allowed-to-resist-against-the-unjust-aggressor/#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 } } ] } ```