H. L. Mencken Quotes

How long would authority ... exist, if not for the willingness of the mass to become soldiers, policemen, jailers, and hangmen.

You know, you can't make the people do what you want them to do.

The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.

As force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as the most free and the most popular.

Government is force.

We must form men so that they can only will what we wish them to will.

The implicit bargain that is offered to citizens: Pose no challenge and you have nothing to worry about. Mind your own business, and support or at least tolerate what we do, and you’ll be fine. Put differently, you must refrain from provoking the authority that wields surveillance powers if you wish to be deemed free of wrongdoing. This is a deal that invites passivity, obedience, and conformity.

Obedience simulates subordination as fear of the police simulates honesty.

Even the most despotic government cannot stand except for the consent of the governed.... Immediately the subject ceases to fear the despotic force, his power is gone.

No government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as duty.

A portion of the multitude must ever be coerced.

People are submissive to power, and few of them can be influenced by doctrines of righteousness.

I want to make a revolving door that says 'Pull' on it, just see how obedient people are.

I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

One with the law is a majority.

Force does not constitute right... obedience is due only to legitimate powers.

The most powerful men were those who most effectively used the power of adult competence to enforce childish agreements.

Inasmuch as society cannot go on without discipline of some kind, men were constrained, in the absence of any other form of discipline, to turn to discipline of the military type.

My job is to persuade people to toe the line and play within the laws of the game.

Influence is a very unpleasant subject and I deal with it in a maybe irresponsible way, which is to really ignore it. It would be a nightmare if we started to really think about it; it would tie our hands, it would tie everyone else's hands.

One of the main ways that leadership stays in power is by, in various ways, convincing people that they should just let those who are in government govern: 'Trust us. Trust me. Just let us take care of things. Stay out of it.' Your opinions don't really matter. You are isolated. You are insignificant.

The risk to be percieved defines the duty to be obeyed.

Baseball regards us as sheep.

If they can talk to you over a secure telephone line, then you have to do what they want.

Legitimacy [of governments] is not bought by force; it is earned by the consensus of the people.