--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful…" description: "\"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg" --- # I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. ![“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg) > “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom, even if risky, is preferable to safe oppression. **In simple terms:** Choose risky freedom over safe slavery. Key Takeaway Value liberty above comfort. Themes freedom risk political philosophy Mood thoughtful defiant Type philosophical political When to use this quote - activism - public discourse - personal choices Key Concepts liberalism civil rights Questions to Reflect On - When is risk justified? - How to balance safety and liberty? A Different Perspective Freedom can bring instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-freedom-216082/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-peaceful-3585935/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful/) [Peaceful Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful-slavery-1710074/) [Prefer Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-dangerous-4897176/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [“I'd prefer to have dangerous freedom, than have peaceful slavery”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-prefer-to-have-dangerous-freedom-than-have-peaceful-slavery/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no freedom in peaceful slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-loesch/there-is-no-freedom-in-peaceful-slavery/) [Dana Loesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-loesch/) > [The plan shows that the twenty million people in the German democratic Republic and in the democratic sector of Berlin think only of peace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-ulbricht/the-plan-shows-that-the-twenty-million-people-in-the-german/) [Walter Ulbricht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-ulbricht/) > [“Because I care about human beings, I want them to be free to do what is right for them. Isn't that more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crimethinc/because-i-care-about-human-beings-i-want-them-to-be-free-to-do-what/) [CrimethInc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crimethinc/) > [“An unbroken horse erects his mane, paws the ground and starts back impetuously at the sight of the bridle; while one which is properly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rousseau-jean-jacques/an-unbroken-horse-erects-his-mane-paws-the-ground-and-starts-back/) [Rousseau Jean-Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rousseau-jean-jacques/) > [I know what you're going to say! 'They are men, and men should be free.' 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The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [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/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one-step-what-will-be-the-next/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/knowledge-is-power-knowled-ge-is-safety-knowle-dge-is-happiness/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful-slavery/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dangerous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful-slavery/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful_3022158.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” — Thomas Jefferson", "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 Jefferson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful-slavery/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-prefer-dangerous-freedom-over-peaceful-slavery/#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 } } ] } ```