Only that thing is free which ...

Only that thing is free which exists by the necessities of its own nature, and is determined in its actions by itself alone.
Only that thing is free which exists by the necessities of its own nature, and is determined in its actions by itself alone.
 Baruch Spinoza

More phrases

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.
 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.
The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.
 Thích Nhất Hạnh
Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom - and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.

Quotes from the same author

Academies that are founded at public expense are instituted not so much to cultivate men's natural abilities as to restrain them.
 Baruch Spinoza
Happiness is not the reward of virtue, but is virtue itself; nor do we delight in happiness because we restrain from our lusts; but on the contrary, because we delight in it, therefore we are able to restrain them.
 Baruch Spinoza
For peace is not mere absence of war, but is a virtue that springs from force of character: for obedience is the constant will to execute what, by the general decree of the commonwealth, ought to be done.
 Baruch Spinoza
Peace is not the absence of war, but a virtue based on strength of character.
 Baruch Spinoza
In the mind there is no absolute or free will; but the mind is determined to wish this or that by a cause, which has also been determined by another cause, and this last by another cause, and so on to infinity.
 Baruch Spinoza