War is a ritual, a deadly ritual, not the result of aggressive self-assertion, but of self-transcending identification. Without loyalty to read more

War is a ritual, a deadly ritual, not the result of aggressive self-assertion, but of self-transcending identification. Without loyalty to tribe, church, flag or ideal, there would be no wars.

Nothing is quite so wretchedly corrupt as an aristocracy which has lost its power but kept its wealth and which read more

Nothing is quite so wretchedly corrupt as an aristocracy which has lost its power but kept its wealth and which still has endless leisure to devote to nothing but banal enjoyments. All its great thoughts and passionate energy are things of the past, and nothing but a host of petty, gnawing vices now cling to it like worms to a corpse.

The common good comes before the private good.

The common good comes before the private good.

In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they read more

In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic. Then they came for me -- and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.

The unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism.

The unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism.

The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, read more

The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.

He loved politicians - even Republicans.

He loved politicians - even Republicans.