Emil Cioran Quotes

Give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you.

When there is state there can be no freedom, but when there is freedom there will be no state.

Where the law ends tyranny begins.

He who has the greatest power put into his hands will only become the more impatient of any restraint in the use of it.

It is a power that places the liberty of every man in the hands of every petty officer.

Tyranny may creep in under the outward forms of traditional law.

Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.

O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous To use it like a giant.

The harshest tyranny is that which acts under the protection of legality and the banner of justice.

Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

Power without abuse loses its charm.

Our authorities leave us no doubt that the trust lodged with the oligarchy was sometimes abused, but it certainly ought not to be regarded as a mere usurpation or engine of tyranny.

Conquerors never, never conquer a nation to bring freedom. They brought control.

A strength to harm is perilous in the hand of an ambitious head.

Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.

Give a man a free hand and he'll try to put it all over you.

Let tyrants shake their iron rod.

Dictators and oppressors should continue to fear me because I will be here for a long time.

Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom for himself.

Power is always a corrupting influence.

Freedom of conscience entails more dangers than authority and despotism.

Your empire is now like a tyranny: it may have been wrong to take it; it is certainly dangerous to let it go.

The world is full of little dictators trying to run your life.

It is a clear truth that those who every day barter away other men's liberty will soon care little for their own.

Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.