Unrestrained Power Quotes

America is ungovernable. He who serves a revolution ploughs the sea.

Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

Starting from unlimited freedom, I conclude with unlimited despotism.

If you shut up the truth and bury it in the ground, it will grow and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way.

Despotism isn't nearly as bad as it's cracked up to be.

Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression.

Overly concentrated power, whether in public, private or even in civic hands is an invitation to abuse.

Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads. No man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited power.

Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart.

Mob rule is always extremely dangerous for the future of democracy.

All men are animals; princes are animals whom no one has tied up.

The Roman republic was indeed never finished. For the caprice of the multitude was left to operate at random. So that every popular demagogue had it in his power to spirit up the multitude to whatever pitch of madness might suit his ambitious, or interested views

Gentlemen, all power is, or ought to be, accomplished by responsibility. Tyranny is irresponsible power. This definition is equally true, whether the power be lodged in one or many; — whether in a despot, exempted by the form of government from the control of the law; or in a mob, whose numbers put them beyond the reach of the law. Idle, therefore, and absurd, to talk of freedom where a mob domineers!

There is no such thing as a liberal dictatorship, because a dictator just cannot afford to be liberal.

Hitler was undoubtedly a genius but he lacked self-control. He recognized no limits. Otherwise the thousand-year Reich would have lasted more than twelve years.

When you read history you that kings who have come to the end of their tether, as a rule, would suffer death rather than give up part of their power.

I am, by instinct, wary of revolutions. The gathering of the masses fills me with trepidation.

I would rather not be a king than to forfeit my liberty.

There has been so much power concentrated. There is no leash on that power anymore and Americans face the situation that this power is getting momentum with each passing year with each presidency.

The possession of power inevitably spoils the free use of reason.

More power than any good man should have, and more power than any other kind of man ought to have.

Rash, inexperienced youth holds itself a chosen instrument, and allows itself unbounded license.

The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty.

Kings are but men, are subject to all the passions and frailties of human nature, and consequently are too prompt to grasp at arbitrary power, and to wish to make all things bend and submit to their will & pleasure.

The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are a majority.