In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also is despotic governments: in the former, because they are read more

In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also is despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.

To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.

To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.

Helplessness induces hopelessness, and history attests that loss of hope and not loss of lives is what decides the issue read more

Helplessness induces hopelessness, and history attests that loss of hope and not loss of lives is what decides the issue of war.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

Government and state can never be perfect because they owe their raison d'etre to the imperfection of man and can read more

Government and state can never be perfect because they owe their raison d'etre to the imperfection of man and can attain their end, the elimination of man's innate impulse to violence, only by recourse to violence, the very thing they are called upon to prevent.

A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness.

A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness.

Property rights are not the rights of property; they are the rights of humans with regard to property. They are read more

Property rights are not the rights of property; they are the rights of humans with regard to property. They are a particular kind of human right.

Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain- and since labor is pain in itself- it follows that men read more

Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain- and since labor is pain in itself- it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work. History shows this quite clearly. And under these conditions, neither religion nor morality can stop it.When, then, does plunder stop? It stops when it becomes more painful and more dangerous than labor.It is evident, then, that the proper purpose of law is to use the power of its collective force to stop this fatal tendency to plunder instead of to work. All the measures of the law should protect property and punish plunder.