Democritus Quotes

The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.

The individual is prior to society and society must be ordered to the good of the individual.

There are multitudes of persons whose idea of liberty is the right to do what they please, instead of the right of doing that which is lawful and best.

I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.

In England, your life is your life.

The love of individual freedom has stood in the way of the appreciation of social obligations.

The individual is not accountable to society for his actions, insofar as these concern the interests of no person but himself.

The individual is greater than the state.

A government must govern, must prescribe and enforce laws within its sphere or cease to be a government. Moreover, the individual must be independent and free within his own sphere or cease to be an individual. The fundamental question ... is now, and always will be through what adjustments, by what actions, these principles may be applied.

When each citizen submits himself to the authority of law he does not thereby decrease his independence or freedom, but rather increases it. By recognizing that he is a part of a larger body which is banded together for a common purpose, he becomes more than an individual, he rises to a new dignity of citizenship. Instead of finding himself restricted and confined by rendering obedience to public law, he finds himself protected and defended and in the exercise of increased and increasing rights.

In a free society a large degree of human activity is none of the government's business. We should make criminal what's going to hurt other people and other than that we should leave it to people to make their own choices.

The isolation of every human soul and the necessity of self-dependence must give each individual the right, to choose his own surroundings.

I think, in this country, anybody can do whatever they want to do as long as it's not hurting anybody else or violating the laws of society.

It is essential that the young people of this country learn to respect the right of every man and woman to seek his or her happiness with minimal interference from the government.

I'm a lover of my own liberty, and so I would do nothing to restrict yours.

Liberty never meant the license to do anything at will.

Every man is free to do that which he wills, provided he infringes not the equal freedom of any other man.

Everyone has the right to make his own decisions, but none has the right to force his decision on others.

Liberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint; the more restraint on others to keep off from us, the more liberty we have.

Just as man must have liberty to think and speak, so he must have liberty in food, dress, and marriage, and in every other thing, so long as he does not injure others.

But without a caring society, without each citizen voluntarily accepting the weight of responsibility, government is destined to grow even larger, taking more of your money, burrowing deeper into your lives.

I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom.

Libertarians argue that no normal adult has the right to impose choices on other normal adults, except in abnormal circumstances, such as when one person finds another unconscious and administers medical assistance or calls an ambulance.

I should like to be remembered as the man who raised a voice against... placing limitations on the freedom of the individual.

I believe, basically, that individual freedom is very important.