I should have had a circuitous answer that was a non-answer.

I should have had a circuitous answer that was a non-answer.

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.

If you have ever seen a four-year-old trying to lord it over a two-year-old, then you know what the basic read more

If you have ever seen a four-year-old trying to lord it over a two-year-old, then you know what the basic problem of human nature is -- and why government keeps growing larger and ever more intrusive.

Government is beating into submission, imprisoning, and killing...The authority of man-made law is entirely due to weapons of the constables read more

Government is beating into submission, imprisoning, and killing...The authority of man-made law is entirely due to weapons of the constables who enforce obedience to its provisions.

Voters don't decide issues, they decide who will decide issues.

Voters don't decide issues, they decide who will decide issues.

Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.

Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.

From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need.

From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need.

That government is best which governs least.

That government is best which governs least.

If the small minority of enlightened citizens who are able to conceive sound principles of political management do not succeed read more

If the small minority of enlightened citizens who are able to conceive sound principles of political management do not succeed in winning the support of their fellow citizens and converting them to the endorsement of policies that bring and preserve prosperity, the cause of mankind and civilization is hopeless. There is no other means to safeguard a propitious development of human affairs than to make the masses of inferior people adopt the ideas of the elite. This has to be achieved by convincing them. It cannot be accomplished by a despotic regime that instead of enlightening the masses beats them into submission. In the long run the ideas of the majority, however detrimental they may be, will carry on. The future of mankind depends on the ability of the elite to influence public opinion in the right direction.