Tyrants quotes

Tyrants

600 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.

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Tyrants quotes (page 8 of 30)

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Edmund Burke Philosopher, Politician
Tyrants

"Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart; nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the minds of tyrants."

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Edmund Burke Philosopher, Politician
Tyrants

"Many of the greatest tyrants on the records of history have begun their reigns in the fairest manner. But the truth is, this unnatural power corrupts both the heart and the understanding."

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Winston Churchill Politician, Writer, Historian
Tyrants

"[Magna Carta provided] "a system of checks and balances which would accord the monarchy its necessary strength, but would prevent its perversion by a tyrant or a fool."

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Thomas Jefferson Politician, Founding Father
Tyrants

"The people cannot be all, and always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive."

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J. K. Rowling Novelist, Screenwriter
Tyrants

"Voldemort himself created his worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back!"

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Barack Obama Politician
Tyrants

"For more than four decades, the Libyan people have been ruled by a tyrant - Moammar Gaddafi. He has denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents at home and abroad, and terrorized innocent people around the world - including Americans who were killed by Libyan agents."

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Benjamin Disraeli Politician, Author
Tyrants

"The divine right of kings may have been a plea for feeble tyrants, but the divine right of government is the keystone of human progress, and without it governments sink into police, and a nation is degraded into a mob."

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Benjamin Franklin Inventor, Statesman, Author
Tyrants

"Notwithstanding my experiments with electricity the thunderbolt continues to fall under our noses and beards; and as for the tyrant, there are a million of us still engaged at snatching away his sceptre."

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Albert Einstein Physicist
Tyrants

"Degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors. Time has proven that illustrious tyrants are succeeded by scoundrels."

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Aristotle Philosopher
Tyrants

"There is also a doubt as to what is to be the supreme power in the state: - Is it the multitude? Or the wealthy? Or the good? Or the one best man? Or a tyrant?"

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Aristotle Philosopher
Tyrants

"Governments which have a regard to the common interest are constituted in accordance with strict principles of justice, and are therefore true forms; but those which regard only the interest of the rulers are all defective and perverted forms, for they are despotic, whereas a state is a community of freemen."

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Aristotle Philosopher
Tyrants

"All three states - the Lacedaemonian, the Cretan, and the Carthaginian - nearly resemble one another, and are very different from any others. Many of the Carthaginian institutions are excellent. The superiority of their constitution is proved by the fact that the common people remains loyal to the constitution; the Carthaginians have never had any rebellion worth speaking of, and have never been under the rule of a tyrant."

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Victor Hugo Novelist, Poet
Tyrants

"Men are still men. The despot's wickedness Comes of ill teaching, and of power's excess,-- Comes of the purple he from childhood wears, Slaves would be tyrants if the chance were theirs."

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