Who said “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.”?

Verified

Thomas Paine. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"Reflections on Titles", Pennsylvania Magazine (May, 1775)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "Reflections on Titles", Pennsylvania Magazine (May, 1775).

APA

Paine, T. (n.d.). When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39984-when-men-yield-up-the-privilege-of-thinking/

MLA

Paine, Thomas. “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39984-when-men-yield-up-the-privilege-of-thinking/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Paine, Thomas. “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39984-when-men-yield-up-the-privilege-of-thinking/.

Related quotes

More quotes by Thomas Paine

“A thing, moderately good, is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.”
VerifiedLetter to the Addressers (1792) · evidenceDetails & citeModeration
“He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”
VerifiedFirst Principles of Government (1795) · evidenceDetails & citeLiberty
“My own mind is my own church.”
Churches
All 41 Thomas Paine quotes →