"Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God"

"Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God" expresses a powerful assertion about the nature of authority and the morality of resistance. Embedded in this statement is the belief that legitimate authority derives not from force or tyranny, but from higher principles, often associated with divine justice, natural rights, or moral law. When rulers become tyrants, abusing power, suppressing freedoms, and violating the rights of individuals, they forfeit the legitimacy of their authority. In such circumstances, to resist, rebel, or refuse obedience to such unjust rule is not only a right but a sacred duty. Franklin’s assertion places the moral responsibility for justice above blind allegiance to government, suggesting that true fidelity to the divine or to ethical imperatives may sometimes require direct action against earthly powers.

This thought is deeply rooted in Enlightenment philosophy and the political climate preceding the American Revolution. For Franklin and his contemporaries, the struggle for independence was framed not merely as a political necessity but as a moral calling, an alignment with God’s will against the corruption of tyrannical monarchies. By asserting that obedience to God can involve active resistance, Franklin redefines what it means to be both a good citizen and a moral person. Passive compliance with injustice becomes a moral failing, while active challenge to despotism is elevated to a spiritual imperative.

The statement also reflects a broadened sense of accountability: individuals are accountable to a higher law than the decrees of rulers. Civic duty and religious duty converge; loyalty belongs ultimately to the principles of justice, liberty, and the inherent dignity of individuals. In history, such words have served to galvanize the oppressed, justifying resistance and revolution not as acts of chaos or disloyalty, but as expressions of the deepest virtue. The phrase endures as a rallying cry for those who see the fight against oppression as not merely a human right, but a holy obligation.