"Freedom requires power first" is a trite remark (9)
I believe the answer is:
platitude
'a trite remark' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'freedom requires power first' is the wordplay.
'freedom' becomes 'latitude' (latitude is a kind of freedom).
'requires power' becomes 'p' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'first' says to put letters next to each other.
'latitude' after 'p' is 'PLATITUDE'.
'is' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for platitude that I've seen before include "Trite remark made as if meaningful" , "Trite or obvious remark" , "Commonplace remark, banal or trite" , "We've heard that before" , "Banality" .)