Edmund Burke Quotes

There is no middle course between the throne and the scaffold.

In no form of government is there an absolute identity of interest between the people and their rulers

If officials are too forceful, people will revolt.

The tree of liberty could not grow were it not watered with the blood of tyrants

'Twixt kings and tyrants there's this difference known: Kings seek their subjects' good, tyrants their own.

Old forms of government finally grow so oppressive, that they must be thrown off even at the risk of reigns of terror.

Whoever lays his hand on me to govern me is a usurper and tyrant, and I declare him my enemy.

A king ruleth as he ought, a tyrant as he lists, a king to the profit of all, a tyrant only to please a few.

Everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear.

Common tyrants, and public oppressors, are not intitled to obedience from their subjects, by virtue of any thing here laid down by the inspired apostle.

British chancellor is telling the rest of Europe it must abandon democracy. It's appalling.

The king must die so that the country can live.

He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the Faith, than George the Third.

Do you trust the government? No? In that case, let’s overthrow it tomorrow.

Wherever there is a man who exercises authority, there is a man who resists authority!

We do not support rebellion against our rulers even if they are unjust. We do not make supplications against them and do not set any revolution against them.

What has commonly been called rebellion has more often been nothing but a glorious struggle in opposition to the lawless power of rebellious kings and princes

You are afraid of the one, I, of the few.... You are apprehensive of monarchy, I, of aristocracy.

Better a hundred years of tyranny than one day of anarchy.

The removal of a tyrant is not merely justifiable; it is the highest duty of every true revolutionist.

He who has once been approved and accepted by his people, though he abuse his right, yet retains the basis of his authority as against his own private subjects, since an obligation entered upon publicly and by mutual consent cannot be dissolved and broken by the will of any private citizen. For were this otherwise, endless disorders, worse even than tyranny itself, would ensue…

Let us strangle the last king with the guts of the last priest.

No one can go on being a rebel too long without becoming an autocrat.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

The struggle between Liberty and Authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history with which we are earliest familiar.