"The law will never make a man free; it is men who have got to make the law free"
- Henry David Thoreau
About this Quote
This quote by Henry David Thoreau speaks with the power of individuals to produce change. He is suggesting that laws alone can not make a male totally free, however rather it is the people who must act to make the laws complimentary. This indicates that laws are not inherently simply or unjust, but rather it depends on the people to make them simply. Thoreau is highlighting the significance of individuals taking responsibility for their own liberty and the liberty of others. He is recommending that it is not enough to just rely on the law to produce justice, however rather it depends on the people to make sure that the laws are just and reasonable. He is motivating individuals to take action and to be proactive in producing a more equitable society. Eventually, Thoreau is stressing the value of people taking responsibility for their own freedom and the freedom of others.
"The 4th Amendment and the personal rights it secures have a long history. At the very core stands the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion"
"Households, cities, countries, and nations have enjoyed great happiness when a single individual has taken heed of the Good and Beautiful. Such people not only liberate themselves; they fill those they meet with a free mind"
