The accretion of dangerous power does not come in a day. It does come, however slowly, from the generative force of unchecked disregard of the restrictions that fence in even the most disinterested assertion of authority.
Felix FrankfurterRead
Ultimately there can be no freedom for self unless it is vouchsafed for others; there can be no security where there is fear, and a democratic society presupposes confidence and candor in the relations of men with one another and eager collaboration for the larger ends of life instead of the pursuit of petty, selfish or vainglorious aims.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True freedom and security are dependent on the freedom of others and mutual trust in society.
Felix Frankfurter's quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of individual freedom and societal well-being. It suggests that one cannot be truly free if others are not also free, highlighting the importance of mutual respect, collaboration, and trust for a healthy democratic society. Fear undermines security, and the pursuit of selfish desires detracts from the collective goals that promote a fulfilling life for all.
Themes
FreedomSecuritySocietyCollaborationTrust
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of community involvement in social justice movements.
More from Felix Frankfurter
All quotes →Democracy is always a beckoning goal, not a safe harbor. For freedom is an unremitting endeavor, never a final achievement.
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Without a free press there can be no free society. That is axiomatic. However, freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the end of a free society. The scope and nature of the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of the press are to be viewed and applied in that light.
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The words of the Constitution... are so unrestricted by their intrinsic meaning or by their history or by tradition or by prior decisions that they leave the individual Justice free, if indeed they do not compel him, to gather meaning not from reading the Constitution but from reading life.
Felix FrankfurterRead
Litigation is the pursuit of practical ends, not a game of chess.
Felix FrankfurterRead
As a member of this court I am not justified in writing my private notions of policy into the Constitution, no matter how deeply I may cherish them or how mischievous I may deem their disregard.
Felix FrankfurterRead
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