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About this quote

What does it mean?
Education frees people by empowering them, while ignorance keeps them under control.
In plain terms
Teaching people frees them; keeping them ignorant enslaves them.
What can you take from it?
Support education to fight tyranny.

Where it applies

  • political debates
  • policy making
  • community organizing

Putting it to work

  • promote literacy
  • fund schools
  • demand transparency

Questions to consider

  • How does ignorance protect power?
  • What role does education play in your life?

Another view

Education alone does not guarantee freedom.

More from Maximilien Robespierre

  1. In the system of the French revolution that which is immoral is impolitic, and what tends to corrupt is counter-revolutionary. Weaknesses, vices, prejudices ar…

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  2. The warmth of zeal is not perhaps the most dangerous rock that we have to avoid; but rather that languour which ease produces and a distrust of our own courage.

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  3. Crime butchers innocence to secure a throne, and innocence struggles with all its might against the attempts of crime.

    Permalink to quote #19

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