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Given that some social processes must convey inherent constraints, the choice is among various mixtures of persuasion, force, and cultural read more
Given that some social processes must convey inherent constraints, the choice is among various mixtures of persuasion, force, and cultural inducement. The less of one, the more of the others. The degree of freedom that is possible is therefore tied to the extent to which people respond to persuasion or inducement.
Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.
Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.
Our elections are free -- it's in the results where eventually we pay.
Our elections are free -- it's in the results where eventually we pay.
What a delightful thing is the conversation of specialists! One understands absolutely nothing and it's charming.
What a delightful thing is the conversation of specialists! One understands absolutely nothing and it's charming.
A thief believes everybody steals.
A thief believes everybody steals.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.
Nobody believes a rumor here in Washington until it's officially denied.
Nobody believes a rumor here in Washington until it's officially denied.
It is a dangerous and idle dream to think that the state can become rule by philosophers turned kings or read more
It is a dangerous and idle dream to think that the state can become rule by philosophers turned kings or scientists turned commissars. For if philosophers become kings or scientists commissars, they become politicians, and the powers given to the state are powers given to men who are rulers of states, men subject to all the limitations and temptations of their dangerous craft. Unless this is borne in mind, there will be a dangerous optimistic tendency to sweep aside doubts and fears as irrelevant, since, in the state that the projectors have in mind, power will be exercised by men of a wisdom and degree of moral virtue that we have not yet seen. It won't. It will be exercised by men who will be men first and rulers next and scientists and saints long after.
