Who said “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.”?

Verified

Henry David Thoreau. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceJournals (1838-1859), 1847

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For academic work, cite the original where you can: Journals (1838-1859), 1847.

APA

Thoreau, H. D. (n.d.). Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/26502-disobedience-is-the-true-foundation-of-liberty-the/

MLA

Thoreau, Henry David. “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/26502-disobedience-is-the-true-foundation-of-liberty-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Thoreau, Henry David. “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/26502-disobedience-is-the-true-foundation-of-liberty-the/.

Related quotes

“The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.”
— Thomas Jefferson
VerifiedSummary View of the Rights of British America (1774); The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (19 Vols., 1905) edited by Andrew A. Lipscomb and Albert Ellery Bergh, Vol. 1, p. 211 · evidenceDetails & citeLiberty

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