A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.
—Martin Luther King Jr., c. 1967Quotes
I am invariably of the politics of the people at whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof I sleep.
—George Borrow, 1843The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.
—LaoziYou have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.
—Aristophanes, c. 424 BCOut of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made.
—Immanuel Kant, 1784Politics is the art of the possible.
—Otto von Bismarck, 1867A 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.
—David Foster Wallace, 2000Let him who desires peace prepare for war.
—Vegetius, c. 385I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.
—Maximilien Robespierre, 1792The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm piss.
—John Nance Garner, c. 1967I shall be an autocrat: that’s my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that’s his.
—Catherine the Great, c. 1796Every country has the government it deserves.
—Joseph de Maistre, 1811A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1944