A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of read more

A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life.

It is not conclusive proof of a doctrine's correctness that its adversaries use the police, the hangman, and violent mobs read more

It is not conclusive proof of a doctrine's correctness that its adversaries use the police, the hangman, and violent mobs to fight it. But it is a proof of the fact that those taking recourse to violent oppression are in their subconsciousness convinced of the untenability of their own doctrines.

Given that some social processes must convey inherent constraints, the choice is among various mixtures of persuasion, force, and cultural read more

Given that some social processes must convey inherent constraints, the choice is among various mixtures of persuasion, force, and cultural inducement. The less of one, the more of the others. The degree of freedom that is possible is therefore tied to the extent to which people respond to persuasion or inducement.

If we let people see that kind of thing, there would never again be any war.

If we let people see that kind of thing, there would never again be any war.

The whole art of politics consists in directing rationally the irrationalities of men.

The whole art of politics consists in directing rationally the irrationalities of men.

People unfit for freedom - who cannot do much with it - are hungry for power. The desire for freedom read more

People unfit for freedom - who cannot do much with it - are hungry for power. The desire for freedom is an attribute of a "have" type of self. It says: leave me alone and I shall grow, learn, and realize my capacities. The desire for power is basically an attribute of a "have not" type of self.

We would like to live as we once lived, but history will not permit it.

We would like to live as we once lived, but history will not permit it.

The State, both in its genesis and by its primary intention, is purely anti-social. It is not based on the read more

The State, both in its genesis and by its primary intention, is purely anti-social. It is not based on the idea of natural rights, but on the idea that the individual has no rights except those that the State may provisionally grant him. It has always made justice costly and difficult of access, and has invariably held itself above justice and common morality whenever it could advantage itself by so doing.

This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. read more

This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual.