In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the constitution.
Thomas JeffersonTags: justice democracy law american-revolution governance constitutional-law us-constitution
Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'
Isaac AsimovTags: democracy elite elitism elitist voter voting
Struggles to coerce uniformity of sentiment in support of some end thought essential to their time and country have been waged by many good as well as by evil men. Nationalism is a relatively recent phenomenon but at other times and places the ends have been racial or territorial security, support of a dynasty or regime, and particular plans for saving souls. As first and moderate methods to attain unity have failed, those bent on its accomplishment must resort to an ever-increasing severity. . . . Those who begin coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters. Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard.
It seems trite but necessary to say that the First Amendment to our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings. There is no mysticism in the American concept of the State or of the nature or origin of its authority. We set up government by consent of the governed, and the Bill of Rights denies those in power any legal opportunity to coerce that consent. Authority here is to be controlled by public opinion, not public opinion by authority.
If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.
Tags: freedom nationalism democracy america united-states usa dissent government first-amendment thoughts united-states-of-america barnette supreme-court unanimity us
A democracy which makes or even effectively prepares for modern, scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic. No country can be really well prepared for modern war unless it is governed by a tyrant, at the head of a highly trained and perfectly obedient bureaucracy.
Aldous HuxleyTags: power society war democracy tyranny
High hopes were once formed of democracy; but democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.
Oscar WildeTags: democracy
The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerated the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power.
Franklin D. RooseveltTags: democracy capitalism fascism
The Revolution introduced me to art, and in turn, art introduced me to the Revolution!
Albert EinsteinTags: politics freedom history philosophy democracy hope individualism revolution communism socialism
Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all.
Adam SmithTags: politics freedom history philosophy democracy hope individualism revolution communism socialism
Unity is a great thing and a great slogan. But what the workers’ cause needs is the unity of Marxists, not unity between Marxists, and opponents and distorters of Marxism.
Vladimir LeninTags: politics freedom history philosophy democracy hope individualism revolution communism socialism
Everything is relative in this world, where change alone endures.
Leon TrotskyTags: politics freedom history philosophy democracy hope individualism revolution communism socialism
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