--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The law, which restrains a man from doing…" description: "\"The law, which restrains a man from doing mischief to his fellow citizens, though it diminishes the natural, increases the civil liberty of mankind.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/william-blackstone-14453_citizens_the-law-which-restrains-a-man-from-doing_328528.png" --- # The law, which restrains a man from doing mischief to his… ![“The law, which restrains a man from doing mischief to his fellow citizens, though it diminishes the natural, increases the civil liberty of mankind.” quote by William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/william-blackstone-14453_citizens_the-law-which-restrains-a-man-from-doing_328528.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/william-blackstone-14453_citizens_the-law-which-restrains-a-man-from-doing_328528.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/william-blackstone-14453_citizens_the-law-which-restrains-a-man-from-doing_328528.png) > “The law, which restrains a man from doing mischief to his fellow citizens, though it diminishes the natural, increases the civil liberty of mankind.” [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law restrains harmful actions, which paradoxically expands overall liberty by protecting citizens. **In simple terms:** Law limits mischief, increasing freedom for all. Key Takeaway Respect laws to protect collective freedom. Themes law freedom social order Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - community governance - policy making - civil rights activism - conflict resolution Key Concepts civil liberty public safety legal restraint Questions to Reflect On - When does regulation become overreach? - How to balance safety and freedom? A Different Perspective Rigid laws can suppress individual autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mischief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mischief/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [The scripture teaches that he who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-laurie/the-scripture-teaches-that-he-who-now-restrains-will-continue-to-do/) [Greg Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-laurie/) > [I think it can be shown that the law makes ten criminals where it restrains one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltairine-de-cleyre/i-think-it-can-be-shown-that-the-law-makes-ten-criminals-where-it/) [Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltairine-de-cleyre/) > [The only thing that restrains you is fear, Anton Gorodetsky. For yourself, or for people - that's not important. But we are restrained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/the-only-thing-that-restrains-you-is-fear-anton-gorodetsky-for/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [“He who restrains his tongue has a leash on his enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/he-who-restrains-his-tongue-has-a-leash-on-his-enemy/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Well, good luck escaping. I mean, you just gotta somehow bust through your restrains, then knock out the guards in this cell. After that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-the-noob/well-good-luck-escaping-i-mean-you-just-gotta-somehow-bust-through/) Steve the Noob > [ \[If you understood the natural rights of mankind,\] \[y\]ou would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/if-you-understood-the-natural-rights-of-mankind-y-ou-would-be/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The commitment to civil liberty is going to be reasserted strongly. 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Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-f-stone/) > [The most important civil liberty... is to stay alive and to be free from violence and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/the-most-important-civil-liberty-is-to-stay-alive-and-to-be-free-from/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites, — in proportion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/men-are-qualified-for-civil-liberty-in-exact-proportion-to-their/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by William Blackstone > [Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/upon-these-two-foundations-the-law-of-nature-and-the-law-of/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/it-is-better-that-ten-guilty-persons-escape-than-one-innocent-suffer/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [ Trial by jury is a privilege of the highest and most beneficial nature \[and\] our most important guardian both of public and private liberty.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/trial-by-jury-is-a-privilege-of-the-highest-and-most-beneficial/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [The Royal Navy of England hath ever been its greatest defense and ornament; it is its ancient and natural strength; the floating bulwark of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-royal-navy-of-england-hath-ever-been-its-greatest-defense-and/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [And, lastly, to vindicate these rights, when actually violated and attacked, the subjects of England are entitled, in the first place, to the regular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/and-lastly-to-vindicate-these-rights-when-actually-violated-and/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [The most universal and effectual way of discovering the true meaning of law, when the words are dubious, is by considering the reason and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-most-universal-and-effectual-way-of-discovering-the-true-meaning/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Those rights, then, which God and nature have established, and are therefore called natural rights, such as life and liberty, need not the aid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/those-rights-then-which-god-and-nature-have-established-and-are/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [The doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be found only in the holy scriptures.. are found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-doctrines-thus-delivered-we-call-the-revealed-or-divine-law-and/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Herein indeed consists the excellence of the English government, that all parts of it form a mutual check upon each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/herein-indeed-consists-the-excellence-of-the-english-government-that/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [The public good is in nothing more essentially interested, than in the protection of every individual's private rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-public-good-is-in-nothing-more-essentially-interested-than-in-the/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/no-enactment-of-man-can-be-considered-law-unless-it-conforms-to-the/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/time-whereof-the-memory-of-man-runneth-not-to-the-contrary/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Of crimes injurious to the persons of private subjects, the most principal and important is the offense of taking away that life, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/of-crimes-injurious-to-the-persons-of-private-subjects-the-most/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Law is the embodiment of the moral sentiment of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/law-is-the-embodiment-of-the-moral-sentiment-of-the-people/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Men was formed for society, and is neither capable of living alone, nor has the courage to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/men-was-formed-for-society-and-is-neither-capable-of-living-alone-nor/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) [Explore all 46 William Blackstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) ## More Citizens quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. 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He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. 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