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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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  8  /  25  

Political history is largely an account of mass violence and of the expenditure of vast resources to cope with mythical read more

Political history is largely an account of mass violence and of the expenditure of vast resources to cope with mythical fears and hopes.

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  7  /  9  

The world is full of cactus, but we don't have to sit on it.

The world is full of cactus, but we don't have to sit on it.

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  12  /  31  

Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that read more

Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.

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  9  /  19  

The most fundamental fact about the ideas of the political left is that they do not work. Therefore we should read more

The most fundamental fact about the ideas of the political left is that they do not work. Therefore we should not be surprised to find the left concentrated in institutions where ideas do not have to work in order to survive.

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  13  /  15  

Politics makes strange bed-fellows.

Politics makes strange bed-fellows.

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  16  /  29  

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.

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  14  /  19  

No one has a right to happiness.

No one has a right to happiness.

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  34  /  52  

If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Africa or from read more

If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Africa or from Asia. But when we have elections, they want observers.

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  14  /  22  

At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and read more

At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society permits more satirical comment than a repressive, so that if comedy is to function in some way as a safety release then it must obviously deal with these taboo areas. This is part of the responsibility we accord our licensed jesters, that nothing be excused the searching light of comedy. If anything can survive the probe of humour it is clearly of value, and conversely all groups who claim immunity from laughter are claiming special privileges which should not be granted.

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