“God grant that not only the love of liberty but a thorough knowledge of the rights of man may pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may set his foot anywhere on its surface and say: ‘This is my country.'”
- January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790
- American
- Polymath, Founding Father of the United States, Inventor, Diplomat, Writer
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Quote
“God grant that not only the love of liberty but a thorough knowledge of the rights of man may pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may set his foot anywhere on its surface and say: ‘This is my country.'”
Explanation
In this quote, Benjamin Franklin expresses a powerful vision of global liberty grounded in universal human rights and enlightenment ideals. He prays not only for the love of liberty, which stirs the heart, but for a thorough knowledge of the rights of man, which arms the mind. This distinction highlights Franklin’s belief that freedom must be rooted in understanding, not just sentiment. The ideal is that wherever a philosopher—or any thinking person—goes, they should find societies so just and free that they can truly say, “This is my country.”
Franklin’s words reflect the Enlightenment belief in reason, universal rights, and cosmopolitanism—the idea that humanity shares common principles that transcend borders. At a time when monarchies dominated much of the world, and colonial powers denied many their liberty, Franklin envisioned a world in which education, justice, and freedom were not limited by geography, but extended to all nations. His invocation of the “philosopher” symbolizes a rational, principled individual whose loyalty is to truth and human dignity, not merely to a flag.
In today’s interconnected world, Franklin’s vision continues to resonate. Issues of human rights, democracy, and global justice are as urgent now as in his time. His quote reminds us that liberty cannot thrive without education, and that true patriotism is founded on shared ideals, not just birthplace. It is a call for a world where every nation upholds the rights of all people, making it a homeland not just by birth, but by principle.
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