FOUR FREEDOMS BY PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT FOUR FREEDOMS WORLD WAR II NATIONAL DEFENSE FOREIGN POLICY U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION GLOBAL RELATIONS JANUARY 6 1941 JUST AS OUR NATIONAL POLICY IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS BEEN BASED UPON A DECENT RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF ALL OUR FELLOWMAN WITHIN OUR GATES SO OUR NATIONAL POLICY IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS BEEN BASED ON A DECENT RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF ALL NATIONS LARGE AND SMALL AND THE JUSTICE OF MORALITY MUST AND WILL WIN IN THE END OUR NATIONAL POLICY IS THIS FIRST BY AN IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSION OF THE PUBLIC WILL AND WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTISANSHIP WE ARE COMMITTED TO ALL INCLUSIVE NATIONAL DEFENSE SECOND BY AN IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSION OF THE PUBLIC WILL AND WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTISANSHIP WE ARE COMMITTED TO FULL SUPPORT OF ALL THOSE RESOLUTE PEOPLES EVERYWHERE WHO ARE RESISTING AGGRESSION AND ARE THEREBY KEEPING WAR AWAY FROM OUR HEMISPHERE BY THIS SUPPORT WE EXPRESS OUR DETERMINATION THAT THE DEMOCRATIC CAUSE SHALL PREVAIL AND WE STRENGTHEN THE DEFENSE AND SECURITY OF OUR OWN NATION THIRD BY AN IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSION OF THE PUBLIC WILL AND WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTISANSHIP WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR OWN SECURITY WILL NEVER PERMIT US TO ACQUIESCE IN A PEACE DICTATED BY AGGRESSORS AND SPONSORED BY APPEASERS WE KNOW THAT ENDURING PEACE CANNOT BE BOUGHT AT THE COST OF OTHER PEOPLE'S FREEDOM IN THE RECENT NATIONAL ELECTION THERE WAS NO SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT PARTIES IN RESPECT TO THAT NATIONAL POLICY NO ISSUE WAS FOUGHT OUT ON THIS LINE BEFORE THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE TODAY IT IS ABUNDANTLY EVIDENT THAT AMERICAN CITIZENS EVERYWHERE ARE DEMANDING AND SUPPORTING SPEEDY AND COMPLETE ACTION IN RECOGNITION OF OBVIOUS DANGER THEREFORE THE IMMEDIATE NEED IS A SWIFT AND DRIVING INCREASE IN OUR ARMAMENT PRODUCTION LEADERS OF INDUSTRY AND LABOR HAVE RESPONDED TO OUR SUMMONS GOALS OF SPEED HAVE BEEN SET IN SOME CASE THESE GOALS ARE BEING REACHED AHEAD OF TIME IN SOME CASES WE ARE ON SCHEDULE IN OTHER CASES THERE ARE CASES AND I AM SORRY TO SAY VERY IMPORTANT CASES WE ARE ALL CONCERNED BY THE SLOWNESS OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR PLANS THE ARMY AND NAVY HOWEVER HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS DURING THE PAST YEAR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IS IMPROVING AND SPEEDING UP OUR METHODS OF PRODUCTION WITH EVERY PASSING DAY AND TODAY'S BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR TOMORROW I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS THUS FAR MADE THE MEN IN CHARGE OF THE PROGRAM REPRESENT THE BEST IN TRAINING ABILITY AND PATRIOTISM THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS THUS FAR MADE NONE OF US WILL BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE NO MATTER WHETHER THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS SET TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW OUR OBJECTIVE IS QUICKER AND BETTER RESULTS TO GIVE TWO ILLUSTRATIONS WE ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE IN TURNING OUT FINISHED AIRPLANES WE ARE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO SOLVE THE INNUMERABLE PROBLEMS AND TO CATCH UP WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE IN BUILDING WARSHIPS BUT WE ARE WORKING TO GET EVEN FURTHER AHEAD OF SCHEDULE TO CHANGE A WHOLE NATION FROM A BASIS OF PEACETIME PRODUCTION OF IMPLEMENTS OF WAR IS NO SMALL TASK AND THE GREATEST DIFFICULTY COMES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM WHEN NEW TOOLS AND PLANT FACILITIES AND NEW ASSEMBLY LINES AND SHIPWAYS MUST FIRST BE CONSTRUCTED BEFORE THE ACTUAL MATERIAL BEGINS TO FLOW STEADILY AND SPEEDILY FROM THEM THE CONGRESS OF COURSE MUST RIGHTLY KEEP ITSELF INFORMED AT ALL TIMES OF THE PROGRESS OF THE PROGRAM HOWEVER THERE IS CERTAIN INFORMATION AS THE CONGRESS ITSELF WILL READILY RECOGNIZE WHICH IN THE INTERESTS OF OUR OWN SECURITY AND THOSE OF THE NATIONS WE ARE SUPPORTING MUST OF NEEDS BE KEPT IN CONFIDENCE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CONSTANTLY BEGETTING NEW NEEDS FOR OUR SAFETY I SHALL ASK CONGRESS FOR GREATLY INCREASED NEW APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS TO CARRY ON WHAT WE HAVE BEGUN I ALSO ASK THIS CONGRESS FOR AUTHORITY AND FOR FUNDS SUFFICIENT TO MANUFACTURE ADDITIONAL MUNITIONS AND WAR SUPPLIES OF MANY KINDS TO BE TURNED OVER TO THOSE NATIONS WHICH ARE NOW IN ACTUAL WAR WITH AGGRESSOR NATIONS OUR MOST USEFUL AND IMMEDIATE ROLE IS TO ACT AS AN ARSENAL FOR THEM AS WELL AS FOR OURSELVES THEY DO NOT NEED MANPOWER THEY DO NEED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF THE WEAPONS OF DEFENSE THE TIME IS NEAR WHEN THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THEM IN READY CASH WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT TELL THEM THEY MUST SURRENDER MERELY BECAUSE OF PRESENT INABILITY TO PAY FOR THE WEAPONS WHICH WE KNOW THEY MUST HAVE I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT WE MAKE THEM A LOAN OF DOLLARS WITH WHICH TO PAY FOR THESE WEAPONS A LOAN TO BE REPAID IN DOLLARS I RECOMMEND THAT WE MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THOSE NATIONS TO CONTINUE TO OBTAIN WAR MATERIALS IN THE UNITED STATES FITTING THEIR ORDERS INTO OUR OWN PROGRAM NEARLY ALL OF THEIR MATERIAL WOULD IF THE TIME EVER CAME BE USEFUL FOR OUR OWN DEFENSE TAKING COUNSEL OF EXPERT MILITARY AND NAVAL AUTHORITIES CONSIDERING WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR OWN SECURITY WE ARE FREE TO DECIDE HOW MUCH SHOULD BE KEPT HERE AND HOW MUCH SHOULD BE SENT ABROAD TO OUR FRIENDS WHO BY THEIR DETERMINED AND HEROIC RESISTANCE ARE GIVING US TIME IN WHICH TO MAKE READY OUR OWN DEFENSE FOR WHAT WE SEND ABROAD WE SHALL BE REPAID WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF HOSTILITIES IN SIMILAR MATERIALS OR AT OUR OPTION IN OTHER GOODS OF MANY KINDS WHICH THEY CAN PRODUCE AND WHICH WE NEED LET US SAY TO THE DEMOCRACIES WE AMERICANS ARE VITALLY CONCERNED IN YOUR DEFENSE OF FREEDOM WE ARE PUTTING FORTH OUR ENERGIES OUR RESOURCES AND OUR ORGANIZING POWERS TO GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO REGAIN AND MAINTAIN A FREE WORLD WE SHALL SEND YOU IN EVER INCREASING NUMBERS SHIPS PLANES TANKS GUNS THIS IS OUR PURPOSE AND OUR PLEDGE IN FULFILLMENT OF THIS PURPOSE WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE THREATS OF DICTATORS THAT THEY WILL REGARD AS A BREACH OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND AS AN ACT OF WAR OUR AID TO THE DEMOCRACIES WHICH DARE TO RESIST THEIR AGGRESSION SUCH AID IS NOT AN ACT OF WAR EVEN IF A DICTATOR SHOULD UNILATERALLY PROCLAIM IT SO TO BE WHEN THE DICTATORS ARE READY TO MAKE WAR UPON US THEY WILL NOT WAIT FOR AN ACT OF WAR ON OUR PART THEY DID NOT WAIT FOR NORWAY OR BELGIUM OR THE NETHERLANDS TO COMMIT AN ACT OF WAR THEIR ONLY INTEREST IS IN A NEW ONE WAY INTERNATIONAL LAW WHICH LACKS MUTUALITY IN ITS OBSERVANCE AND THEREFORE BECOMES AN INSTRUMENT OF OPPRESSION THE HAPPINESS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS MAY WELL DEPEND UPON HOW EFFECTIVE AND HOW IMMEDIATE WE CAN MAKE OUR AID FELT NO ONE CAN TELL THE EXACT CHARACTER OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS THAT WE MAY BE CALLED UPON TO MEET THE NATION'S HANDS MUST NOT BE TIED WHEN THE NATION'S LIFE IS IN DANGER WE MUST ALL PREPARE TO MAKE THE SACRIFICES THAT THE EMERGENCY AS SERIOUS AS WAR ITSELF DEMANDS WHATEVER STANDS IN THE WAY OF SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IN DEFENSE PREPARATIONS MUST GIVE WAY TO THE NATIONAL NEED A FREE NATION HAS THE RIGHT TO EXPECT FULL COOPERATION FROM ALL GROUPS A FREE NATION HAS THE RIGHT TO LOOK TO THE LEADERS OF BUSINESS OF LABOR AND OF AGRICULTURE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN STIMULATING EFFORT NOT AMONG OTHER GROUPS BUT WITHIN THEIR OWN GROUPS THE BEST WAY OF DEALING WITH THE FEW SLACKERS OR TROUBLEMAKERS IN OUR MIDST IS FIRST TO SHAME THEM BY PATRIOTIC EXAMPLE AND IF THAT FAILS TO USE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOVERNMENT TO SAVE GOVERNMENT AS MEN DO NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE THEY DO NOT FIGHT BY ARMAMENTS ALONE THOSE WHO MAN OUR DEFENSES AND THOSE BEHIND THEM WHO BUILD OUR DEFENSES MUST HAVE THE STAMINA AND COURAGE WHICH COME FROM AN UNSHAKABLE BELIEF IN THE MANNER OF LIFE WHICH THEY ARE DEFENDING THE MIGHTY ACTION WHICH WE ARE CALLING FOR CANNOT BE BASED ON A DISREGARD OF ALL THINGS WORTH FIGHTING FOR THE NATION TAKES GREAT SATISFACTION AND MUCH STRENGTH FROM THE THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN DONE TO MAKE ITS PEOPLE CONSCIOUS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL STAKE IN THE PRESERVATION OF DEMOCRATIC LIFE IN AMERICA THOSE THINGS HAVE TOUGHENED THE FIBER OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE RENEWED THEIR FAITH AND STRENGTHENED THEIR DEVOTION TO THE INSTITUTIONS WE MAKE READY TO PROTECT CERTAINLY THIS IS NO TIME TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WHICH ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE SOCIAL REVOLUTION WHICH IS TODAY A SUPREME FACTOR IN THE WORLD THERE IS NOTHING MYSTERIOUS ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OF A HEALTHY AND STRONG DEMOCRACY THE BASIC THINGS EXPECTED BY OUR PEOPLE OF THEIR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS ARE SIMPLE THEY ARE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH AND FOR OTHERS JOBS FOR THOSE WHO CAN WORK SECURITY FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT THE ENDING OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGE FOR THE FEW THE PRESERVATION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES FOR ALL THE ENJOYMENT OF THE FRUITS OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS IN WIDER AND CONSTANTLY RISING STANDARD OF LIVING THESE ARE THE SIMPLE AND BASIC THINGS THAT MUST NEVER BE LOST SIGHT OF IN THE TURMOIL AND UNBELIEVABLE COMPLEXITY OF OUR MODERN WORLD THE INNER AND ABIDING STRENGTH OF OUR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS IS DEPENDENT UPON THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY FULFILL THESE EXPECTATIONS MANY SUBJECTS CONNECTED WITH OUR SOCIAL ECONOMY CALL FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT AS EXAMPLES WE SHOULD BRING MORE CITIZENS UNDER THE COVERAGE OF OLD AGE PENSIONS AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WE SHOULD WIDEN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE WE SHOULD PLAN A BETTER SYSTEM BY WHICH PERSONS DESERVING OR NEEDING GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT MAY OBTAIN IT I HAVE CALLED FOR PERSONAL SACRIFICE I AM ASSURED OF THE WILLINGNESS OF ALMOST ALL AMERICANS TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL A PART OF THE SACRIFICE MEANS THE PAYMENT OF MORE MONEY IN TAXES IN MY BUDGET MESSAGE I RECOMMEND THAT A GREATER PORTION OF THIS GREAT DEFENSE PROGRAM BE PAID FOR FROM TAXATION THAN WE ARE PAYING TODAY NO PERSON SHOULD TRY OR BE ALLOWED TO GET RICH OUT OF THIS PROGRAM AND THE PRINCIPLE OF TAX PAYMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ABILITY TO PAY SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY BEFORE OUR EYES TO GUIDE OUR LEGISLATION IF THE CONGRESS MAINTAINS THESE PRINCIPLES THE VOTERS PUTTING PATRIOTISM AHEAD OF POCKETBOOKS WILL GIVE YOU THEIR APPLAUSE IN THE FUTURE DAYS WHICH WE SEEK TO MAKE SECURE WE LOOK FORWARD TO A WORLD FOUNDED UPON FOUR ESSENTIAL HUMAN FREEDOMS THE FIRST IS FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD THE SECOND IS FREEDOM OF EVERY PERSON TO WORSHIP GOD IN HIS OWN WAY EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD THE THIRD IS FREEDOM FROM WANT WHICH TRANSLATED INTO WORLD TERMS MEANS ECONOMIC UNDERSTANDINGS WHICH WILL SECURE TO EVERY NATION A HEALTHY PEACETIME LIFE FOR ITS INHABITANTS EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD THE FOURTH IS FREEDOM FROM FEAR WHICH TRANSLATED INTO WORLD TERMS MEANS A WORLDWIDE REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS TO SUCH A POINT AND IN SUCH A THOROUGH FASHION THAT NO NATION WILL BE IN A POSITION TO COMMIT AN ACT OF PHYSICAL AGGRESSION AGAINST ANY NEIGHBOR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT IS NO VISION OF A DISTANT MILLENNIUM IT IS A DEFINITE BASIS FOR A KIND OF WORLD ATTAINABLE IN OUR OWN TIME AND GENERATION THAT KIND OF WORLD IS THE VERY ANTITHESIS OF THE SO CALLED NEW ORDER OF TYRANNY WHICH THE DICTATORS SEEK TO CREATE WITH THE CRASH OF A BOMB TO THAT NEW ORDER WE OPPOSE THE GREATER CONCEPTION THE MORAL ORDER A GOOD SOCIETY IS ABLE TO FACE SCHEMES OF WORLD DOMINATION AND FOREIGN REVOLUTIONS ALIKE WITHOUT FEAR SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OUR AMERICAN HISTORY WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN CHANGE IN A PERPETUAL PEACEFUL REVOLUTION REVOLUTION WHICH GOES ON STEADILY QUIETLY ADJUSTING ITSELF TO CHANGING CONDITIONS WITHOUT THE CONCENTRATION CAMP OR THE QUICKLIME IN THE DITCH THE WORLD ORDER WHICH WE SEEK IS THE COOPERATION OF FREE COUNTRIES WORKING TOGETHER IN A FRIENDLY CIVILIZED SOCIETY THIS NATION HAS PLACED ITS DESTINY IN THE HANDS AND HEADS AND HEARTS OF ITS MILLIONS OF FREE MEN AND WOMEN AND ITS FAITH IN FREEDOM UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF GOD FREEDOM MEANS THE SUPREMACY OF HUMAN RIGHTS EVERYWHERE OUR SUPPORT GOES TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO GAIN THOSE RIGHTS OR KEEP THEM OUR STRENGTH IS IN OUR UNITY OF PURPOSE TO THAT HIGH CONCEPT THERE CAN BE NO END SAVE VICTORY FROM CONGRESSIONAL RECORD 77 CONG 1 SESS 1941 PP 44 47 AND REPRINTED IN THE ANNALS OF AMERICA VOLUME 16 1940 1949 COPYRIGHT 1976 BY ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITTANICA INC
