Politics is the art of the possible.

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

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

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

O citizens, first acquire wealth; you can practice virtue afterward.

Let him who desires peace prepare for war.

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

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

Envy is the basis of democracy.

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.

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

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.