Quotes About Authority

Done, Mr. Thunder," Jocelyn said with a good deal of pleasure. "You now work for me." She had to turn away quickly before she laughed aloud at the expression of utter disbelief that appeared on his handsome face.

You are not my wife yet, to concern yourself in my affairs." "And when I am your wife?" His conscience pricked him, making him snap, "You will learn not to question me." -Royce to Corliss-

If orthodoxy (which literally means "right teaching") proclaims a single, authorized set of answers, we celebrate instead the open mind. We trust that our own thoughts and experiences can be as illuminating as the thoughts and experiences of those who came before us. Not that our answers will therefore be superior.

There is the authority of position and the authority of knowledge - 'Authority flows from the one who knows.' But sharing in hardship confers upon a leader something quite rare - moral authority.

You cannot be a military leader without physical courage. But there are Plenty of soldiers with physical courage who are not leaders

You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; right derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe

The fundamental article of my political creed is that despotism, or unlimited sovereignty, or absolute power, is the same in a majority of a popular assembly, an aristocratical council, an oligarchical junto, and a single emperor. Equally arbitrary, cruel, bloody, and in every respect diabolical.

Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de tres bon foi, believes itself right. Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views, beyond the comprehension of the weak.

The jaws of power are always opened to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing.

Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.

The law, in all vicissitudes of government, fluctuations of the passions, or flights of enthusiasm, will preserve a steady undeviating course; it will not bend to the uncertain wishes, imaginations, and wanton tempers of men. . . . On the one hand it is inexorable to the cries and lamentations of the prisoners; on the other it is deaf, deaf as an adder to the clamors of the populace.

Fear is the foundation of most governments.

The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries.

Power always thinks... that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws.

The question before the human race is, whether the God of nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether priests and kings shall rule it by fictitious miracles?

Metaphysicians and politicians may dispute forever, but they will never find any other moral principle or foundation of rule or obedience, than the consent of governors and governed.

The proposition that the people are the best keepers of their own liberties is not true. They are the worst conceivable, they are no keepers at all they can neither judge, act, think, or will, as a political body.

I say, that Power must never be trusted without a check.

To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor's prohibited list.

Unjust force can never give any just dominion.

Law is a Bottomless-Pit, it is a Cormorant, a Harpy, that devours every thing.

Never trust governments absolutely and always do what you can to prevent them from doing too much harm.

A leader who delivers the truth and does so calmly and confidently gives people a reason to believe that the right people are in charge and will do what they can to improve the situation.

There's a rule or something that if a girl can crack you up, you have to do what she says.