Leo Tolstoy Quotes
The more respect that objects, customs, or laws are given, the more attentively you must question the right these things have to this respect.
Leo Tolstoy, 1828-1910, Russian Writer & Philosopher, A Calendar of Wisdom 1908--June 4
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In a number of traditional cultures it is considered impolite and disrespectful to be critical of leaders. Actually, this is also true in armies, police departments and especially many corporations even in modern society. In Japan, until recently many newspapers would not print criticisms of the government in most cases. However in the political arena, if there is democracy and no legal restrictions on criticism, cultures change over time and people hold their leaders more accountable.
Although extremely enlightened and liberal in man ways, as an autocrat she saw virtues in monarchy.
Lev Davidovich Bronstein. Trotsky grew disillusioned with the Communist Party Direction (see {634717})and went into exile in Mexico where he was murdered under orders of Stalin.
Note that the two do NOT ALWAYS coincide. There are those who argue that law should be respected, right or wrong. There are also those who argue that law should be respected, only when it is in the right. Note also that “respect” and “obedience” are two different things. Some people argue that law and the courts and government must have respect. Others that they are only due obedience but not necessarily respect when they are in the wrong. Still others, like Thoreau, that obedience even is not required when the law is wrong. There are those who take this to the degree that obedience to a “wrong” law is wrong and there is a DUTY to disobey a wrong law. However, a more nuanced view does not treat all laws as the same importance. I may think a particular tax is unjust and wrong, but obedience does not necessarily have moral consequences. A law that says that people with a certain religion must not be hired, however, is sufficiently immoral that I am obliged to disobey it.
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, 9 September, 1828 – 20 November, 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. He received nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature every year from 1902 to 1906 and for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, 1902, and 1909. That he never won is a major controversy.
