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

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

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

Every country has the government it deserves.

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.

Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged.

The U.S. presidency is a Tudor monarchy plus telephones.

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

Let him who desires peace prepare for war.

In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.

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

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

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