Rudolph J. Rummel, (1932-2014) Professor of political science, University of Hawaii Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [1-4] of 4 Rudolph J. Rummel quotesRudolph J. Rummel QuotesRudolph J. Rummel The more power a government has, the more it can act arbitrarily according to the whims and desires of the elite and murder its foreign and domestic subjects. The more constrained the power of governments, the more power is diffused, checked and balanced, the less it will aggress on others and commit democide. ... In total, during the first eighty-eight years of this century, almost 170 million men, women, and children have been shot, beaten, tortured, knifed, burned, starved, frozen, crushed, or worked to death; buried alive, drowned, hung, bombed, or killed in any other of the myriad ways governments have inflicted death on unarmed, helpless citizens and foreigners. The dead could conceivably be nearly 360 million people. It is as though our species has been devastated by a modern Black Plague. And indeed it has, but a plague of Power, not of germs.~ Rudolph J. Rummel Political scientists almost everywhere have promoted the expansion of government power. They have functioned as the clergy of oppression.~ Rudolph J. Rummel Nobody can be trusted with unlimited power. The more power a regime has, the more likely people will be killed. This is a major reason for promoting freedom.~ Rudolph J. Rummel The way to virtually eliminate genocide and mass murder appears to be through restricting and checking power. This means to foster democratic freedom.~ Rudolph J. Rummel Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print