James Madison Quotes

The revolutionary government is the despotism of liberty

Only the history of free peoples is worth our attention; the history of men under a despotism is merely a collection of anecdotes.

Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.

Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.

Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.

In all tyrannical governments the supreme magistracy, or the right both of making and of enforcing the laws, is vested in one and the same man, or one and the same body of men; and whenever these two powers are united together, there can be no public liberty.

Tyrants of our day are the most dangerous preachers of liberty.

Which is better, to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away, or by three thousand tyrants not a mile away?

... timid men who prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty.

There is no such thing as a liberal dictatorship, because a dictator just cannot afford to be liberal.

Our city finds itself in an uncomfortable place: on the frontline between freedom and auto_cracy.

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

Despotism can only exist in darkness.

Despotism subjects a nation to one tyrant; democracy, to many.

Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their preachings.

Without democracy freedom is a chimera

Despotism can do without faith but freedom cannot.

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

Those who abhors democracy would rarely immigrate to an authoritarian state if they have to.

The deadliest foe of democracy is not autocracy but liberty frenzied.

Tyranny is always better organized than freedom.

A collective tyrant, spread over the length and breadth of the land, is no more acceptable than a single tyrant ensconced on his throne.

Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men.

The world will not accept dictatorship or domination.

Democracy passes into despotism.