Quotes About Authority

When the slave auctioneer asked him what he was skilled at, Diogenes said "At governing people," and, pointing to a well-dressed buyer, he said "Sell me to that man, for he wants a master.

Abbot E. Smith, an authority on the subject, estimates that 'not less than a half, nor more than two-thirds, of all white immigrants to the colonies were indentured servants or redemptioners or convicts,' and that, beginning in 1728, 'by far the greatest number of servants and redemptioners' came from Ireland. It would seem, therefore, that more than one hundred thousand Scotch-Irish came to America as indentured servants.

In a totally sane society, madness is the only freedom.

Human beings today ... are surrounded by huge institutions we can never penetrate: the City [London's Wall Street], the banking system, political and advertising conglomerates, vast entertainment enterprises. They've made themselves user friendly, but they define the tastes to which we conform. They're rather subtle, subservient tyrants, but no less sinister for that.

The Government's going to pass a bill regarding schools. Well I never. Interfering gang they are, as if a parent doesn't know what's best for her own child. I don't know, I don't know! We won't be able to call our children our own just now.

The word power has such a generally negative implication in our society. What are people talking about? Are they talking about muscles, or control?

We believe that to govern perfectly it is necessary to avoid governing too much.

Every time you have to speak, you are auditioning for leadership.

Monarchs have a great weakness, however, for their own sons, no matter how feckless and inept. A statistical study should be done across cultures assessing the relative frequency of the bizarre outcomes to which monarchical succession is prone: failure to provide an heir or successor, provision of an heir completely inept, or division of rule among several incompatible ones. Orderly succession followed by a successful reign is the exception.

A kingdom without justice, he memorably observed, was nothing but a very large band of pirates.

Nothing is True, All is Permitted

The world has nothing to fear from military ambition in our Government.

I hate cops. You're either a cop or a reporter. And I hate cops and newspapermen.

Demons are dangerous only until they are confronted by the power of Jesus.

Demons fear the power of Jesus Christ, and even speaking his name can rebuke evil.

The first work of revealed truth is to secure an unconditional surrender of the sinner to the will of God. Until this has been accomplished, nothing really lasting has been done at all. The reader may admire the rich imagery of the Bible, its bold figures and impassioned flights of eloquence; he may enjoy its tender musical passages, and revel in its strong homely wisdom; but until he has submitted to its full authority over his life, he has secured no good from it yet.

CHAP. XIX. The Duke Ai asked, saying, 'What should be done in order to secure the submission of the people?' Confucius replied, 'Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit.

He reported sick on the 2d and left the army. When ready for duty he was assigned about Richmond and the seaboard of North Carolina. He applied to be restored to command of his division in the field, but the authorities thought his services could be used better elsewhere. He resigned his commission in the Confederate service, went to Georgia, and joined Joe Brown's militia, where he found congenial service, better suited to his ideas of vigorous warfare.

General Lee said that the attack of his right was not made as early as expected,—which he should not have said. He knew that I did not believe that success was possible; that care and time should be taken to give the troops the benefit of positions and the grounds; and he should have put an officer in charge who had more confidence in his plan. Two-thirds of the troops were of other commands, and there was no reason for putting the assaulting forces under my charge.

Deception begins with bureaucracy," Palpatine said.

Beings may elect their leaders, but the Force has elected us.

For all that sentients have achieved with weapons and machines, life remains an ongoing battle for survival, with the strong or the smart at the top of the heap, and the rest kept in check by firepower and laws.

The hand that holds the money cracks the whip.

Churches that do not discipline jeopardize the lives of those who, like Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10), disregard God's instructions as they approach him and risk being consumed by an outburst of his holiness (cf. 1 Cor. 11:27–32).