"The government itself, which is only the..." - Quote by Henry David Thoreau
The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it.
More by Henry David Thoreau
“We are all of us more or less active physiognomists.”
“In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the poor fellow who walks away with the greatest number of letters, proud of his extensive correspondence, has not heard from himself this long while.”
“A thoroughbred business man cannot enter heartily upon the business of life without first looking into his accounts.”
More on Government
“Taxes are the sinews of the state.”
“Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and governments.”
“Personally I have never been able to understand why the head of a big business, whether it be the Nation, the State or the Army, or Navy should not desire to have very strong and positive people under him.”
More on Democracy
“Well the protester I think is a very powerful thing. It's basically a mechanism of democracy that, along with capitalism, scientific innovation, those things have built the modern world. And it's wonderful that the new tools have empowered that protestor so that state secrets, bad developments are not hidden anymore.”
“It is basically a strategy to destroy the essence of democracy, which is the competitiveness and choices of candidates on the ballot.”
“Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.”