Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but
where men are who know how read more

Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but
where men are who know how to take care of themselves, these are
cities and walls.

Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Men have a right that these wants should read more

Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom.

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga read more

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga sive bacillum vere superius
inflexum sit.]

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has read more

A great writer is, so to speak, a second government in his country. And for that reason no regime has ever loved great writers, only minor ones.

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people read more

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.

I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war on liberty, and that the read more

I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war on liberty, and that the democratic government is at least as bad as any of the other forms

The point to remember is that what the Government gives it must first take away.

The point to remember is that what the Government gives it must first take away.

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, read more

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.