Must a government be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its own existence?

Must a government be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its own existence?

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.

Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.

Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.

The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government.

The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government.

A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.

A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.

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 ...

Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; read more

Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.

Good government is no substitute for self-government.

Good government is no substitute for self-government.

A thousand years scarce serve to form a state;
An hour may lay it in the dust.

A thousand years scarce serve to form a state;
An hour may lay it in the dust.