You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.

Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made.

An appeal to the reason of the people has never been known to fail in the long run.

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

The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all.

Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.

No human life, not even the life of a hermit, is possible without a world which directly or indirectly testifies to the presence of other human beings.

Envy is the basis of democracy.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.

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

The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.

I say violence is necessary. It is as American as cherry pie.