Whatever is not forbidden is permitted.

The maxim expresses a permissive principle: in the absence of an explicit prohibition, an action is allowed. It is often invoked in discussions of law, governance, and ethics to contrast “permission-based” systems (where rules carve out exceptions) with “prohibition-based” systems (where only enumerated allowances are legal). In political theory it can be read as a liberal presumption in favor of individual freedom; in administrative or religious contexts it can also be criticized as encouraging loophole-seeking or moral minimalism. Although frequently attributed to Schiller, the idea circulates widely as a general legal-political aphorism and is not securely tied to a specific Schiller text in common reference.