The assumption that spending more of the taxpayer's money will make things better has survived all kinds of evidence that read more

The assumption that spending more of the taxpayer's money will make things better has survived all kinds of evidence that it has made things worse. The black family- which survived slavery, discrimination, poverty, wars and depressions- began to come apart as the federal government moved in with its well-financed programs to "help.".

We suffer most when the White House busts with ideas.

We suffer most when the White House busts with ideas.

Absolute power corrupts even when exercised for humane purposes. The benevolent despot who sees himself as a shepherd of the read more

Absolute power corrupts even when exercised for humane purposes. The benevolent despot who sees himself as a shepherd of the people still demands from others the submissiveness of sheep.

A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness.

A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness.

It is the very essence of despotism that it can never afford to fail. This is what distinguishes it most read more

It is the very essence of despotism that it can never afford to fail. This is what distinguishes it most vitally from democracy. In a despotism there is no organized opposition which can take over the power when the Administration in office has failed. All the eggs are in one basket. Everything is staked on one coterie of men. When the going is good, they move more quickly and efficiently than democracies, where the opposition has to be persuaded and conciliated. But when they lose, there are no reserves. There are no substitutes on the bench ready to go out on the field and carry the ball. That is why democracies with the habit of party government have outlived all other forms of government in the modern world. They have, as it were, at least two governments always at hand, and when one fails they have the other. They have diversified the risks of mortality, corruption, and stupidity which pervade all human affairs. They have remembered that the most beautifully impressive machine cannot run for very long unless there is available a complete supply of spare parts.

What is possible is our highest duty.

What is possible is our highest duty.

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility read more

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.

To desire the attainment of this equality or superiority by the particular means of others being brought down to our read more

To desire the attainment of this equality or superiority by the particular means of others being brought down to our own level, or below it, is, I think, the distinct notion of envy.

Fortunately for themselves and for the world, nearly all men are cowards and dare not act on what they believe. read more

Fortunately for themselves and for the world, nearly all men are cowards and dare not act on what they believe. Nearly all our disasters come of a few fools having the "courage of their convictions.".