Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

The affairs of the world are no more than so much trickery, and a man who toils for money or honor or whatever else in deference to the wishes of others, rather than because his own desire or needs lead him to do so, will always be a fool.

I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!

A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own.

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense—nonsense upon stilts.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

I shall be an autocrat: that’s my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that’s his.

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham.