Wilhelm von Humboldt

Name: The Sphere and Duties of Government — On the Solicitude of the State for Security More Accurately and Positively Defined—Further Development of the Idea of Security
Author: Wilhelm von Humboldt

The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

Summary

“The Sphere and Duties of Government — On the Solicitude of the State for Security More Accurately and Positively Defined—Further Development of the Idea of Security”, published in 1854, is a work by Wilhelm von Humboldt. It explores elements such as security, State and solicitude.

Quotes from The Sphere and Duties of Government… (Wilhelm von Humboldt)

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ I call the citizens of a State secure, when, living together in the full enjoyment of their due rights of person and property, they are out of the reach of any external disturbance from the encroachments of others; and hence I would call security (if the expression does not seem too brief for distinctness) the assurance of legal freedom. Now this security is not of necessity disturbed by all such actions as impede a man in the free exercise of his powers, and in the full enjoyment of all that belongs to him, but only by those which do this unrightfully. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ For the State organism is merely a subordinate means, to which man, the true end, is not to be sacrificed; unless such a collision should occur as that in which the individual would not be bound to surrender himself, and yet the community would possess the right of taking him as a sacrifice. Moreover, according to our former principles, the State is denied all positive solicitude for the citizen's welfare; and nothing can be necessary in order to preserve security which tends precisely to repress freedom, and along with it this very security itself. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ Now, how far and dangerously it is possible to err in this respect, is already shown by the fact that the very solicitude for freedom has disposed more than one of singular judgment and penetration, to make the State responsible for the whole welfare of its citizens; believing that such a comprehensive arrangement would serve to promote all free and spontaneous activity. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ But the idea of security,—towards defining which, nothing further has been observed than that it embraces security against the attacks of foreign enemies, and against the aggressive spirit of fellow-citizens,—is too wide and comprehensive not to require some more special exposition. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ There is a class of citizens to whom the principles we have unfolded (since they presuppose men to be in the enjoyment of their natural faculties) can only be accommodated with considerable modifications. I allude to those who have not yet arrived at the age of maturity, or who, through idiocy or m mania, have not the use of their proper human powers. It is evident that the State must provide as well for the security of such persons ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ Firstly, then, we have seen sufficient reasons for withdrawing the exercise of State solicitude from all such objects as do not immediately relate to the external or internal security of its citizens. In the second place, this same security has been represented as the real object of political activity; and, lastly, it has been agreed, that no efforts are allowable for the promotion of this object which are designed to operate on the morals and character of the nation itself, or to impart or counteract in them any definite direction. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ It is only when this has been done that we can regard our endeavour as complete—that we can suppose ourselves to have attempted to exhaust the proposed question in all its important bearings, and to trace on all sides the proper boundary-lines of political activity. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Wilhelm von Humboldt, The Sphere and Duties of Government… (1854)

“ Far from pretending to penetrate at all profoundly into all the great and difficult subjects I have enumerated, I shall be content to develope the fundamental principles in each, as briefly as possible, and as far as comes within the scope of my present design. ”

Wilhelm von Humboldt

Summary

Quotes from The Sphere and Duties of Government… (Wilhelm von Humboldt)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature