Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to read more

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule--and both commonly succeed, and are right.

The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.

The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If read more

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.

Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.

Truth is not determined by majority vote.

Truth is not determined by majority vote.

Anyone that wants the presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to read more

Anyone that wants the presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to be trusted with the office.

Darkness yields to
starlight,
to the light of the rising
sun, and to the
light of the soul.

Darkness yields to
starlight,
to the light of the rising
sun, and to the
light of the soul.

Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia. - Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.

Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia. - Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.

It is the very essence of despotism that it can never afford to fail. This is what distinguishes it most read more

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.