And having looked to Government for bread, on the very first
scarcity they will turn and bite the hand read more

And having looked to Government for bread, on the very first
scarcity they will turn and bite the hand that fed them.

So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.

So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.

Must a government be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its own existence?

Must a government be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its own existence?

If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor read more

If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor of today's statecraft.) Instead, read selected portions of the Washington telephone directory containing listings for all the organizations with titles beginning with the word National.

Far more important to me is, that I should be loyal to what I regard as the law of my read more

Far more important to me is, that I should be loyal to what I regard as the law of my political life, which is this: a belief that that country is best governed, which is least governed ...

All government--indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every
virtue and every prudent act--is founded on compromise and
barter.

All government--indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every
virtue and every prudent act--is founded on compromise and
barter.

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work read more

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it.

A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has read more

A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has ever loved great writers, only minor ones.

I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government.

I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government.