"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves"

Ronald Reagan’s assertion draws a clear distinction between the basic functions of government and the potential dangers of governmental overreach. The primary purpose of government, as he frames it, is to ensure that individuals are protected from harm inflicted by others. This involves establishing laws and institutions that keep peace, provide security, and uphold justice, essentially creating an environment where the rights and liberties of citizens are safeguarded from being violated by fellow citizens. Through this lens, government is positioned as an impartial referee, maintaining order and resolving disputes so that society can function harmoniously.

However, Reagan warns about the risks when the government extends its reach, moving beyond the role of protecting citizens from external threats or from one another, and begins to interfere in personal choices. When the state starts to shield individuals from the consequences of their own actions, it veers into paternalism. This form of governance assumes that citizens are incapable of making responsible decisions for themselves, and thus need protection not only from others, but from their own potential errors. Such involvement, he suggests, erodes personal responsibility and autonomy, as choices that once belonged to the individual are now regulated or even dictated by authorities.

Reagan’s perspective reflects a foundational principle in classical liberal thought, the idea that adults possess the capacity for self-governance and should be free to pursue their own paths, provided they do not impede the rights of others. When governments attempt to protect individuals from themselves, the result can be diminished freedom and a reliance on the state at the expense of self-determination. Ultimately, the balance between collective safety and individual liberty is delicate; Reagan’s words serve as a caution against allowing well-intentioned policies to morph into restrictive controls over private life, urging that guardianship not become a substitute for personal liberty.