Carolina QuotesThose who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Benjamin Franklin Connected to the Carolinas
Source
This was first used by Franklin for the Pennsylvania Assembly in its "Reply to the Governor" (November 11, 1755) Reply to the Governor — This quote was used as a motto on the title page of An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania (1759); the book was published by Franklin; its author was Richard Jackson, but Franklin did claim responsibility for some small excerpts that were used in it. — In 1775 Franklin again used this phrase in his contribution to Massachusetts Conference (Objections to Barclay’s Draft Articles of February 16 ): "They who can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." — An earlier variant by Franklin in Poor Richard's Almanack (1738): "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power." — Many paraphrased derivatives of this have often become attributed to Franklin: — They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither. He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security. He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither. People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both. If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both. Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither. Those who would trade in their freedom for their protection deserve neither. Those who give up their liberty for more security neither deserve liberty nor security.
- year
- 1738
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“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a lit…” Benjamin Franklin. Carolina Quotes, record CQ-B8FEB89957. https://carolinaquotes.com/quote/b8feb89957
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