The greatest threat to liberty is an apathetic, uneducated citizenry. In times of peace or prosperity, the citizens of a country often forget the hard times that forged the founding of a country such as the United States. It is easy for a country to take freedoms for granted when the citizens of the country have not experienced the lack of it. Times of hardship can also wreak havoc on freedom because the citizens of a country will sometimes rely on the government of a country to provide safety or basic needs. The more security and services that a government provides, the less freedom the populace will have. This is a trend that can be seen transpiring throughout the 20^th century in the United States particularly with the growth of the powers of the executive branch of government.

This threat can be reduced by reforming the education system at the lowest levels. The media can have a profound impact on creating an apathetic or brainwashed citizenry, so ensuring that there is freedom and balance in the press is paramount to the protection of liberty. Protection of liberty cannot be entrusted to the government, but to the lowest, most basic units in society. It is the responsibility of every individual to assure that they protect their freedoms; if this is not the case, then liberty will eventually be eroded lost.