Quotes About Authority

Dominance is not leadership. From animals, Williams said, people could learn about taking "authority without being a bully.

These two halves of God, the Pope and the emperor.

Babylon violated diminishes Alexander; Rome enslaved diminishes Caesar; massacred Jerusalem diminishes Titus. Tyranny follows the tyrant. Woe to the man who leaves behind a shadow that bears his form.

I am not a dictator, I have only simplified democracy.

There are times when democracy can be a disadvantage. There is an often-recounted and many-versioned story of the mercurial Doug Scott on K2. All versions end with Doug disagreeing with the others, who suggest that the matter be put to the vote. 'You know, youth,' replied Doug, 'democracy is a bit of a failure if you end up having to vote on it.

In England and France, they executed their kings some centuries ago, but we were late with ours.

Up to the abdication of the last Tsar one of the principal articles in the Fundamental Laws stated, simply, 'His Majesty is an absolute monarch who is not obliged to answer for his actions to anyone in the world but has the power and the authority to govern his states and lands as a Christian sovereign, in accord with his desire and goodwill.

There are plenty of Marxist-Leninist textbooks about taking power; but there are none about giving it up.

The so-called dictatorship of the proletariat is really the dictatorship over the proletariat by the party and even by individual persons.

For lack of anything better... it is the failure of others that makes for the strength of the fühers. When there's no worthwhile banner, you start to march behind worthless ones.

Once a policeman, always a policeman; and what does a policeman do but present evidence dramatically and wait for reactions from interviewees?

I notice that many people trust the written word more than the spoken word.

I found bossing other people about such a delightful novelty that I had to remind myself of Lord Acton's famous axiom about its tendency to corrupt.

when you obey the rules, the rules obey you

Aphrodite had the beauty; Zeus had the thunderbolts. Everyone loved Aphrodite, but everyone listened to Zeus.

In dealing with those who share his bed, the enlightened ruler may enjoy their beauty but should not listen to their special pleas.

Some people have youth, some have beauty – I have menace.

The beauty of golf, you're in charge out here.

The best films are because of nobody but the director.

Being in charge sometimes means making people mad. Some days you have to overrule even the best advice, because you think it is not right.

The best way to deal with bureaucrats is with stealth and sudden violence.

The best government rests on the people, and not on the few, on persons and not on property, on the free development of public opinion and not on authority.

It is perfectly true that that government is best which governs least. It is equally true that that government is best which provides most.

I'd still like to be the President, of course, and I think the best way to do that would be to raise an army and seize the Capital. This strikes me as true democracy.