Quote by Judge Learned Hand

I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women? It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will; it is not freedom to do as one likes. That is the denial of liberty, and leads straight to its overthrow. A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only a savage few; as we have learned to our sorrow.

I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upo

Summary

This quote emphasizes that the foundation of liberty does not solely rely on rules and institutions like constitutions, laws, and courts. Instead, it asserts that true liberty resides within the hearts of individuals. External structures cannot safeguard or preserve liberty if it is absent from the collective consciousness. Liberty is not synonymous with an unrestrained, selfish will, as it actually denies true freedom and ultimately leads to its destruction. The quote warns that when individuals recognize no limitations on their freedom, society becomes dominated by a few and freedom becomes compromised.

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By Judge Learned Hand

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