Benjamin Franklin claims that the need for “temporary safety” rarely justifies the sacrifice of “essential liberty,” and that those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither. Franklin wrote these words at a time in which America struggled to reconcile different conceptions of “essential liberty” and the sacrifices needed to fulfill those conceptions. In Franklin’s eyes, liberty represented a broad freedom to pursue one’s interests without the interference of government. He views the American people as safeguards of liberty whose decisions may lead them to “deserve” or forfeit liberty and safety. His choice of the words “little” and “temporary” underscores the fact that, while society’s notion of liberty is eternal, society’s notion of safety is often …show more content…
With this remark, Franklin appeals to a concept of eternal, uncompromising liberty ingrained in American democracy and juxtaposes that concept with the security concerns that all societies face. Today, America struggles as it did in Franklin’s time to balance the often antagonistic calls for liberty and calls for safety. As America attempts to counter domestic and foreign threats, Franklin’s call for liberty provides essential guidance. American politicians must take concerns for the safety of their nation seriously. However, they must also remember that they swore to uphold the principles of the Constitution, which represents Franklin’s vision of “essential liberty.” The National Security Administration’s online surveillance of American citizens epitomizes a period during which “temporary safety” concerned politicians more than liberty. Just as the policy makers of Franklin’s time had to decide how to mitigate the threat of backcountry rebellions, modern Americans had to decide how to mitigate the