Bryan Quote by William Jennings Bryan
“The chief duty of governments, in so far as they are coercive, is to restrain those who would interfere with the inalienable rights of the individual, among which are the right to life, the right to liberty, the right to the pursuit of happiness and the right to worship God according to the dictates of ones conscience.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: The 1908 Republican National Convention, William Jennings Bryan
Government's primary role is to protect individual inalienable rights, limiting coercion to prevent interference with life, liberty, happiness, and conscience.
In simple terms: Governments should protect personal freedoms.
Limit government power to safeguard rights.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy debate
- civic education
- legal advocacy
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How should societies balance security with freedom?
- What limits should be placed on government power?
Balancing security and liberty is challenging.