The Four Freedoms

Message to Congress - January 6, 1941

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 understanding which will secure to 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.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt