Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [661-680] of 769 Politics quotesPolitics QuotesPolitics Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes One of the painfully sobering realizations that come from reading history is the utter incompetence that is possible among leaders of whole nations and empires — and the blind faith that such leaders can nevertheless inspire among the people who are enthralled by their words or their posturing.~ Thomas Sowell No government knows any limits to its power except the endurance of the people.~ Lysander Spooner The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that -- however bloody -- can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave.~ Lysander Spooner [T]he only security men can have for their political liberty, consists in keeping their money in their own pockets ...~ Lysander Spooner The history of civilized man is the history of the incessant conflict between liberty and authority. Each victory for liberty marked a new step in the world's progress; so we can measure the advance of civilization by the amount of freedom acquired by human institutions.~ Charles T. Sprading A political convention illustrates the workings of majority rule: If the minority in a party advocate a progressive move which is defeated when put to a vote in the convention, the minority are prohibited from advancing it during the campaign; if this minority refuse to advocate what the convention has decided to be right, they are barred from the platform and press, the cry of majority rule is raised against them, and they are called "traitors to the party;" but if they abandon their progressive ideas and advocate the wishes of the majority they are rewarded with office. Thus majority rule develops the dishonest politician: in order to rule sometime, he consents to being ruled at other times. The desire to rule and the willingness to be ruled ends in degradation; and no one who accepts the principles of equal liberty can endorse majority rule.~ Charles T. Sprading The press must grow day in and day out — it is our Party's sharpest and most powerful weapon.~ Josef Stalin One death is a tragedy, but a million deaths are a statistic.~ Josef Stalin The President has kept all of the promises he intended to keep.~ George Stephanopolous My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.~ Adlai E. Stevenson II Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.~ Robert Louis Stevenson The truth is, that, even with the most secure tenure of office, during good behavior, the danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defence of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices of the day.~ Joseph Story Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.~ Justice Joseph Story There are two kinds of statistics the kind you look up and the kind you make up.~ Rex Stout All history is one long story to this effect: men have struggled for power over their fellow men in order that they might win the joys of earth at the expense of others, might shift the burdens of life from their own shoulders upon those of others.~ William Graham Sumner Whoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before would deserve better of mankind and do more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians put together.~ Jonathan Swift The battle for the world is the battle for definitions.~ Thomas Szasz Every Republican candidate for President since 1936 has been nominated by the Chase National Bank.~ Robert A. Taft Constitutions are checks upon the hasty action of the majority. They are the self-imposed restraints of a whole people upon a majority of them to secure sober action and a respect for the rights of the minority.~ William Howard Taft An important art of politicians is to find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the public.~ Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print