Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

— Benjamin Franklin on Censorship

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." in the context of "Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Censorship" (F) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Benjamin Franklin

About Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (17 January 1706 – 17 April 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and a diplomatic scientific and novice electrician; he was a major figure in the U.S. Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, for keeping bifocals fog-free, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions. He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia's fire department and the University of Pennsylvania.