Home / Authors / William Godwin

William Godwin Quotes

Journalist

William Godwin was an English journalist, writer, and philosopher known for his contributions to liberal and socialist ideas. He is particularly famous for his work 'Enquiry Concerning Political Justice', which outlined theories on freedom, equality, and property. Born on March 3, 1756, he passed away on April 7, 1836.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Atheism Positive Atheism Humans Mind Government Book Ifs Individual Should Thinking Wells Cases Children Desire Duty Evil Firsts Human Beings Liberty

Famous William Godwin Quotes

“A celebrated north country apostle, who, after Calvin had damned ninety-nine in a hundred of mankind, had contrived a scheme for damning ninety-nine in a hundred of the followers of Calvin.”

Country Atheism Mankind Hundred Positive Atheism Nine Followers Schemes Ninety Apostles Ninety Nine North Country

Book:Godwin's

Source: Godwin's

“Obey; this may be right; but beware of reverence.... Government is nothing but regulated force; force is its appropriate claim upon your attention. It is the business of individuals to persuade; the tendency of concentrated strength, is only to give consistency and permanence to an influence more compendious than persuasion.”

Giving May Government Individual Force Attention Atheism Influence Claims Positive Atheism Tendencies Appropriate Reverence Consistency Persuasion Permanence

Book:Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

Source: Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

“Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.... An attempt to scrutinize men's thoughts and punish their opinions is of all kinds of despotism the most odious: yet this is peculiarly character of a period of revolution.... There is no period more at war with the existence of liberty.”

Men Kind War Character Existence Liberty Opinion Atheism Revolution Periods Positive Atheism Tyranny All Kinds Pregnant Despotism Indignation Scrutinize

Author:William Godwin

“The real or supposed rights of man are of two kinds, active and passive; the right in certain cases to do as we list; and the right we possess to the forbearance or assistance of other men. The first of these a just philosophy will probably induce us universally to explode.”

Men Firsts Kind Two Real Philosophy Certain Cases Rights Atheism Positive Atheism Active Lists Passive Assistance Forbearance

Book:Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

Source: Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

“By right, as the word is employed in this subject, has always been understood discretion, that is, a full and complete power of either doing a thing or omitting it, without the person's becoming liable to animadversion or censure from another, that is, in other words, without his incurring any degree of turpitude or guilt. Now in this sense I affirm that man has no rights, no discretionary power whatever.”

Men Persons Rights Atheism Subjects Becoming Degrees Understood Guilt Positive Atheism Employed Discretion Liable Censure Incurring Omitting

Book:An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness

Source: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness

“He has no right to his life when his duty calls him to resign it. Other men are bound ... to deprive him of life or liberty, if that should appear in any case to be indispensably necessary to prevent a greater evil.”

Ifs Men Should Evil Liberty Cases Greater Atheism Duty Bounds Positive Atheism

Book:Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings

Source: Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings

“Every man has a certain sphere of discretion which he has a right to expect shall not be infringed by his neighbours. This right flows from the very nature of man.”

Men Certain Atheism Flow Positive Atheism Every Man Spheres Neighbour Discretion Nature Of Man

Book:Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin

Source: Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness: By William Godwin

“No man must encroach upon my province, nor I upon his. He may advise me, moderately and without pertinaciousness, but he must not expect to dictate to me. He may censure me freely and without reserve; but he should remember that I am to act by my deliberation and not his. I ought to exercise my talents for the benefit of others; but that exercise must be the fruit of my own conviction; no man must attempt to press me into the service.”

Source: Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings