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.

Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a read more

Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a basis of mutual trust and helpfulness.

And having looked to Government for bread, on the very first
scarcity they will turn and bite the hand read more

And having looked to Government for bread, on the very first
scarcity they will turn and bite the hand that fed them.

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one read more

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been tried from time to time.

Far more important to me is, that I should be loyal to what I regard as the law of my read more

Far more important to me is, that I should be loyal to what I regard as the law of my political life, which is this: a belief that that country is best governed, which is least governed ...

Government is a kind of legalized pillage.

Government is a kind of legalized pillage.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

States are great engines moving slowly.

States are great engines moving slowly.

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. read more

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.