A great empire and little minds go ill together.
Edmund BurkeRead
Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True freedom comes with self-discipline and moral restraint.
Edmund Burke suggests that civil liberty is directly linked to an individual's ability to exercise self-control over their desires and impulses. The more someone is willing to impose moral limitations on themselves, the more qualified they are to enjoy the freedom that comes from living in a civilized society. This highlights the importance of personal responsibility in the context of social freedom.
Themes
FreedomSelf-ControlMoralityCivil LibertyDiscipline
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal responsibility, one might use this quote to emphasize the need for self-regulation in society.
More from Edmund Burke
All quotes →To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
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Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.
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The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.
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Society can overlook murder, adultery or swindling; it never forgives preaching of a new gospel.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
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