Every device employed to bolster individual freedom must have as its chief purpose the impairment of the absoluteness of power. The indications are that such an impairment is brought about not by strengthening the individual and pitting him against the possessors of power, but by distributing and diversifying power and pitting one category or unit of power against the other. Where power is one, the defeated individual, however strong and resourceful, can have no refuge and no recourse.
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A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of read more
A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life.
The most heroic word in all languages is revolution.
The most heroic word in all languages is revolution.
Rank and riches are chains of gold, but still chains.
Rank and riches are chains of gold, but still chains.
Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it read more
A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.
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.
Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid read more
Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
Various kinds of ideas can be classified by their relationship to the authentication process. There are ideas systematically prepared for read more
Various kinds of ideas can be classified by their relationship to the authentication process. There are ideas systematically prepared for authentication ("theories"), ideas not derived from any systematic process ("visions"), ideas which could not survive any reasonable authentication process ("illusions"), ideas which exempt themselves from any authentication process ("myths"), ideas which have already passed authentication processes ("facts"), as well as ideas known to have failed- or certain to fail- such processes ("falsehoods" - both mistakes and lies).
No serious historian of politics would imagine that he had accounted for the protective tariff of the system of bounties read more
No serious historian of politics would imagine that he had accounted for the protective tariff of the system of bounties or subsidies, for the monetary and banking laws, for the state of law in regard to corporate privileges and immunities, for the actual status of property rights, for agricultural or for labor policies, until he had gone behind the general claims and the abstract justifications and had identified the specifically interested groups which promoted the specific law.
