Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to read more

Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other

Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity.

Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity.

University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.

University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie read more

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

Away with the cant of "Measures not men!"--the idle supposition
that it is the harness and not the horses read more

Away with the cant of "Measures not men!"--the idle supposition
that it is the harness and not the horses that draw the chariot
along. No Sir, if the comparison must be made, if the
distinction must be taken, men are everything, measures
comparatively nothing.

Finality is not the language of politics.

Finality is not the language of politics.

I consider biennial elections as a security that the sober,
second thought of the people shall be law.

I consider biennial elections as a security that the sober,
second thought of the people shall be law.

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That read more

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.

Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.