James Lovelock Quotes

A democracy which makes or even effectively prepares for modern, scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic. No country can be really well prepared for modern war unless it is governed by a tyrant, at the head of a highly trained and perfectly obedient bureaucracy.

The more complete the despotism, the more smoothly all things move on the surface.

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

All executive power --- from the reign of ancient kings to the rule of modern dictators --- has the outward appearance of efficiency

They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers … call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.

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.

Oppressive government is more terrible than tigers.

The rule of several bad men does not last long, and easily decays to the rule of a single tyrant.

Rule with an iron first will inevitably come to an end.

… we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.

We have tended to be comfortable with authoritarian regimes.

The revolutionary government is the despotism of liberty

Spineless politics do not change the mind of a tyrant.

At times it is necessary for a country to have, for a time, some form or other of dictatorial power..

Concentration of executive power, unless it's very temporary and for specific circumstances, let's say fighting world war two, it's an assault on democracy.

The political lives of tyrants play out human affairs with a special intensity: the death of a democratic leader long after his retirement is a private matter, but the death of a tyrant is always a political act that reflects the character of his power.

According to Netanyahu, he should rule like a Caesar, and the Knesset should be run by the tyranny of the majority.

Europeans have sometimes been beguiled by a despotism that comes concealed in the seductive form of an ideal – as it did in the cases of Hitler and Stalin. This fact may remind us that the possibility of despotism is remote neither in space nor in time.

Terror is trump. Common, brutal suppression methods are considered as sanctified laws. "Old Fighters" are holy ones. From the district leader upwards there are only Gods!

History tells you if dictators are not stopped in time, they cause more damage.

Fascism is the consequence of economic jam and dictatorship is the product of Fascism, for Fascism cannot be managed save by a dictator.

This is not a democracy," I said, understanding he fear but unable to do anything about it. "It's a Maxocracy.

Democratic governments are not suited to the publication of the thunderous revelations I am in the habit of making. The unpublished parts will appear later... when Europe will have restored its traditional monarchies.

Fear must rule in a despotism.

One faith, one law and one standard of justice did not mean democracy. The heresy of democracy has since then worked havoc in church and state . . . Christianity and democracy are inevitably enemies.