Kill a man, and you are an assassin. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill everyone, and read more

Kill a man, and you are an assassin. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill everyone, and you are a god.

A politician will always tip off his true belief by stating the opposite at the beginning of the sentence. For read more

A politician will always tip off his true belief by stating the opposite at the beginning of the sentence. For maximum comprehension, do not start listening until the first clause is concluded. Begin instead at the word "but" which begins the second, or active, clause. This is the way to tell a liberal from a conservative -- before they tell you. Thus: "I have always believed in a strong national defense, second to none, but ... " (a liberal, about to propose a $20 billion defense cut).

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you want to hear.

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you want to hear.

He is free who knows how to keep in his own hand the power to decide, at each step, the read more

He is free who knows how to keep in his own hand the power to decide, at each step, the course of his life, and who lives in a society which does not block the exercise of that power.

Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.

Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.

No matter how disastrously some policy has turned out, anyone who criticizes it can expect to hear: "But what would read more

No matter how disastrously some policy has turned out, anyone who criticizes it can expect to hear: "But what would you replace it with?" When you put out a fire, what do you replace it with?

The conception that government should be guided by majority opinion makes sense only if that opinion is independent of government. read more

The conception that government should be guided by majority opinion makes sense only if that opinion is independent of government. The ideal of democracy rests on the belief that the view which will direct government emerges from an independent and spontaneous process. It requires, therefore, the existence of a large sphere independent of majority control in which the opinions of the individuals are formed.

Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, has always been the
systematic organization of hatreds.

Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, has always been the
systematic organization of hatreds.

Freedom has cost too much blood and agony to be relinquished at the cheap price of rhetoric.

Freedom has cost too much blood and agony to be relinquished at the cheap price of rhetoric.