QuoteProject
I prefer liberty with danger than peace with slavery.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Valuing freedom over security, even at great risk.

This quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau emphasizes the importance of liberty as a fundamental human right, suggesting that it is better to face the dangers associated with freedom than to live in a state of oppression, even if that oppression brings a false sense of peace. Rousseau advocates for the idea that the pursuit of liberty is worth the potential dangers that come with it, as true peace cannot be achieved through enslavement.

Themes

LibertyFreedomDangerPeaceSlavery

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech advocating for civil rights, one could quote this to highlight the importance of freedom over oppressive systems.

More from Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Patience patience quotes is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead
The infant, on opening his eyes, ought to see his country, and to the hour of his death never lose sight of it.
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead
What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead
O love, if I regret the age when one savors you, it is not for the hour of pleasure, but for the one that follows it.
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead
Those people who treat politics and morality separately will never understand either of them.
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead
As evening approached, I came down from the heights of the island, and I liked then to go and sit on the shingle in some secluded spot by the lake; there the noise of the waves and the movement of the water, taking hold of my senses and driving all other agitation from my soul, would plunge me into delicious reverie in which night often stole upon me unawares.
Jean-Jacques RousseauRead

Similar quotes

The Middle East is ailing. The malady stems from pervasive violence, shortages of food, water and educational opportunities, discrimination against women and - the most virulent cause of all - the absence of freedom.
Shimon PeresRead
The majority never has right on its side. Never, I say! That is one of these social lies against which an independent, intelligent men must wage war. Who is it that constitute the majority of the population in a country? Is it the clever folk, or the stupid? I don't imagine you will dispute the fact that at present the stupid people are in an absolutely overwhelming majority all the world over.
Henrik IbsenRead
You're gutless. It's how you were made. And that's not such a bad thing because your saving grace is that you've never lied to yourself about it. Not about that. Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is... God help him.
Khaled HosseiniRead
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.
Mahatma GandhiRead
History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
W. H. AudenRead
Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker ... the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.
Pope FrancisRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.