“Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government…”

“Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigor from a popular examination into the action of the magistrates.”

— Benjamin Franklin

Verification

Attributed

Recorded by a reliable secondary source; exact wording may differ.

Imported from Wikiquote; not yet checked by QuoteQuest against the original source.

Source

Title: Wikiquote: Benjamin Franklin
Type: reference · Secondary source
Held by: Wikiquote

View source at Wikiquote

Context

"On Freedom of Speech and the Press", Pennsylvania Gazette (17 November 1737)

Cite this source

Franklin, Benjamin. (n.d.). Wikiquote: Benjamin Franklin. Wikiquote. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

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Provenance: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA)