Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [381-400] of 443 Oppression quotesOppression QuotesOppression Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes The history of civilized man is the history of the incessant conflict between liberty and authority. Each victory for liberty marked a new step in the world's progress; so we can measure the advance of civilization by the amount of freedom acquired by human institutions.~ Charles T. Sprading A political convention illustrates the workings of majority rule: If the minority in a party advocate a progressive move which is defeated when put to a vote in the convention, the minority are prohibited from advancing it during the campaign; if this minority refuse to advocate what the convention has decided to be right, they are barred from the platform and press, the cry of majority rule is raised against them, and they are called "traitors to the party;" but if they abandon their progressive ideas and advocate the wishes of the majority they are rewarded with office. Thus majority rule develops the dishonest politician: in order to rule sometime, he consents to being ruled at other times. The desire to rule and the willingness to be ruled ends in degradation; and no one who accepts the principles of equal liberty can endorse majority rule.~ Charles T. Sprading America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within.~ Josef Stalin If the opposition (citizen) disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves.~ Josef Stalin And this I must fight against: any idea, religion or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for this is the one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system.~ John Steinbeck The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same.~ Stendhal When you elevate victimhood as virtue, you will create a culture in which people are tripping over themselves to be oppressed.~ Allie Beth Stuckey All history is one long story to this effect: men have struggled for power over their fellow men in order that they might win the joys of earth at the expense of others, might shift the burdens of life from their own shoulders upon those of others.~ William Graham Sumner Everywhere you go on the continent of Europe at this hour you see the conflict between militarism and industrialism. You see the expansion of industrial power pushed forward by the energy, hope, and thrift of men, and you see the development arrested, diverted, crippled, and defeated by measures which are dictated by military considerations.~ William Graham Sumner The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.~ Cornelius Tacitus Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.~ Cornelius Tacitus Freedom does not always win. This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.~ A. J. P. Taylor That government being instituted for the common benefit, the doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.~ Tennessee Constitution Liberty, human dignity, a higher standard of living is fundamental. And, steadily, I think, people are beginning to realise that you don't have those things unless you have a pretty large private enterprise sector. Any Iron Curtain country has neither liberty, nor a very high standard of living. The two things go, economic and political freedom, go together. I've been right in the forefront of saying that, here, in the States, and it's very interesting to me now, to see a number of articles from people who are taking up the same theme. They are disturbed that Socialism is reducing liberty and freedom for ordinary people, and that's really what matters.~ Margaret Thatcher Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.~ Henry David Thoreau Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison ... the only house in a slave State in which a free man can abide with honor.~ Henry David Thoreau If you see a man approaching you with the obvious intent of doing you good, you should run for your life.~ Henry David Thoreau Why does it [government] always crucify Christ, and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels?~ Henry David Thoreau The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.~ Henry David Thoreau Governments need armies to protect them against their enslaved and oppressed subjects.~ Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoi Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print