Judith N. Shklar Quotes:

It seems to me that liberal and humane people, of whom there are many among us, would, if they were asked to rank the vices, put cruelty first. Intuitively they would choose cruelty as the worst thing we do.

source: - Judith N. Shklar (1984). “Ordinary Vices”, p.44, Harvard University Press

Topics: People, Vices, Firsts

To be alive is to be afraid, and much to our advantage in many cases, since alarm often preserves us from danger.

source: - Judith N. Shklar, Stanley Hoffmann (1998). “Political Thought and Political Thinkers”, p.11, University of Chicago Press

Topics: Fear, Alarms, Alive

Every adult should be able to make as many effective decisions without fear or favor about as many aspects of her or his life as is compatible with the like freedom of every other adult. That belief is the original and only defensible meaning of liberalism.

source: - Judith N. Shklar, Bernard Yack (1996). “Liberalism Without Illusions: Essays on Liberal Theory and the Political Vision of Judith N. Shklar”, p.80, University of Chicago Press

Topics: Party, Decision, Political