Q0480
“Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without tolerance, there is no…” — Hu Shi (Tolerance and Freedom)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Tolerance and Freedom. Theme: freedom.
English
Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without tolerance, there is no freedom.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Tolerance and Freedom and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Hu Shi
Hu Shi (1891–1962) was a Chinese liberal pragmatist, vernacular literature reformer, and student of John Dewey at Columbia. A leader of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, he championed experimentalism, critical thought, and writing in baihua.
How to read this passage
Philosophers distinguish several ideas under the single word freedom. Negative freedom emphasizes non-interference; positive freedom emphasizes the capacity to act according to reasons, virtue, or authentic desire. This passage enters that discussion through freedom, society.
Concepts in this quote
- Freedom
- Freedom is among the most searched and most contested themes in philosophy: what it is to choose, to be responsible, and to live without illegitimate constraint.
- Society
- Society is the web of institutions, customs, and mutual expectations in which individual freedom takes shape.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Hu Shi. (n.d.). Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without tolerance, there is no freedom. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0480
MLA: Hu Shi. “Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0480.
Chicago: Hu Shi. “Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0480.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Tolerance is the foundation of all freedom; without…”?
The passage is attributed to Hu Shi, Tolerance and Freedom. The archive attributes this English wording to Tolerance and Freedom and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Hu Shi mean by freedom?
Philosophers distinguish several ideas under the single word freedom. Negative freedom emphasizes non-interference; positive freedom emphasizes the capacity to act according to reasons, virtue, or authentic desire. This passage enters that discussion through freedom, society.