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.

All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies.

All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies.

The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want read more

The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want to do, in order to please and satisfy the other part of the nation. It is the prolonged sacrifice of the rights of some persons at the bidding and for the satisfaction of other persons. The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of being made to serve his ends, if he can get power enough in his hands to force these ends upon them.

The inner censor of the mind of the true believer completes the work of the public censor; his self-discipline is read more

The inner censor of the mind of the true believer completes the work of the public censor; his self-discipline is as tyrannical as the obedience imposed by the regime; he terrorizes his own conscience into submission; he carries his private Iron Curtain inside his skull, to protect his illusions against the intrusion of reality.

The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are read more

The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are a majority.

What is history but the story of how politicians have squandered the blood and treasure of the human race.

What is history but the story of how politicians have squandered the blood and treasure of the human race.

Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell.

Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell.

All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to read more

All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.

A little government and a little luck are necessary in life; but only a fool trusts either of them.

A little government and a little luck are necessary in life; but only a fool trusts either of them.