The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
It is a fair summary of history to say that the safeguards of liberty have been forged in controversies involving not very nice people.
'Emergencies' have always been the pretext on which the safeguards of individual liberty have been eroded.
By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes is his duty against the influence of authority and majorities, custom and opinion.
Liberty has never come from Government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of it. The history of liberty is a history of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it.
Liberty is the prevention of control by others.
Liberty is security. Freedom is security.
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.
There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.
Under the rule of a repressive whole, liberty can be made into a powerful instrument of domination.
The history of liberty is a history of resistance.