Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.

A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.

For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.

Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a read more

Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a basis of mutual trust and helpfulness.

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.

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga read more

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga sive bacillum vere superius
inflexum sit.]

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 believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war on liberty, and that the read more

I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war on liberty, and that the democratic government is at least as bad as any of the other forms