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    It is the very essence of despotism that it can never afford to fail. This is what distinguishes it most vitally from democracy. In a despotism there is no organized opposition which can take over the power when the Administration in office has failed. All the eggs are in one basket. Everything is staked on one coterie of men. When the going is good, they move more quickly and efficiently than democracies, where the opposition has to be persuaded and conciliated. But when they lose, there are no reserves. There are no substitutes on the bench ready to go out on the field and carry the ball. That is why democracies with the habit of party government have outlived all other forms of government in the modern world. They have, as it were, at least two governments always at hand, and when one fails they have the other. They have diversified the risks of mortality, corruption, and stupidity which pervade all human affairs. They have remembered that the most beautifully impressive machine cannot run for very long unless there is available a complete supply of spare parts.

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  6  /  22  

Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading.

Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading.

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  18  /  21  

From the fact that people are very different it follows that, if we treat them equally, the result must be read more

From the fact that people are very different it follows that, if we treat them equally, the result must be inequality in their actual position, and that the only way to place them in an equal position would be to treat them differently. Equality before the law and material equality are therefore not only different but are in conflict which each other; and we can achieve either one or the other, but not both at the same time.

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  16  /  17  

Every St. Patrick's Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.

Every St. Patrick's Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.

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The frustrated follow a leader less because of their faith that he is leading them to a promised land than read more

The frustrated follow a leader less because of their faith that he is leading them to a promised land than because of their immediate feeling that he is leading them away from their unwanted selves. Surrender to a leader is not a means to an end but a fulfillment. Whither they are led is of secondary importance.

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While rationalism at the individual level is a plea for more personal autonomy from cultural norms, at the social level read more

While rationalism at the individual level is a plea for more personal autonomy from cultural norms, at the social level it is often a claim- or arrogation- of power to stifle the autonomy of others.

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  10  /  21  

You really have to experience the feeling of being with the president in the oval office. ... It's a disease read more

You really have to experience the feeling of being with the president in the oval office. ... It's a disease I came to call Ovalitis.

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You shall judge a man by his foes as well as by his friends.

You shall judge a man by his foes as well as by his friends.

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We have to do more than just elect a new President if we truly want to change this country.

We have to do more than just elect a new President if we truly want to change this country.

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Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

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