“The safety of the people shall be the highest law.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“The safety of the people shall be the highest law.”
Explanation
This quote declares that the well-being and protection of the populace must take precedence over all other legal or political considerations. For Cicero, the ultimate purpose of law is not merely order or tradition, but the preservation of public safety and the common good. By placing the people’s safety as the “highest law,” he frames the legitimacy of all governance in terms of its ability to secure peace, justice, and survival for its citizens.
This principle, originally stated in Latin as Salus populi suprema lex esto, appears in Cicero’s work De Legibus (On the Laws), where he lays out his vision of a legal system grounded in natural law and rational order. The quote reflects Cicero’s belief that laws must be flexible enough to respond to existential threats, but still rooted in reason and virtue, not arbitrary power. It is both a moral standard and a political doctrine for times of crisis.
In modern democratic societies, this idea underpins emergency powers, constitutional frameworks, and public policy. It raises important debates: How do we balance liberty with security? How far should governments go to protect their people? Cicero’s quote remains a foundational axiom, reminding us that laws are not ends in themselves—they exist to serve human dignity and collective safety, and must be judged by how well they fulfill that highest obligation.
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