58 Quotes by Irving Kristol

Even if we can’t be happy, we must always be cheerful.

The three pillars of modern conservatism are religion, nationalism, and economic growth.

Power breeds responsibilities, in international affairs as in domestic – or even private. To dodge or disclaim these responsibilities is one form of the abuse of power.

A neoconservative is a liberal who’s been mugged by reality. A neoliberal is a liberal who’s been mugged by reality but has refused to press charges.

No modern nation has ever constructed a foreign policy that was acceptable to its intellectuals.

Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions – it only guarantees equality of opportunity.

The really difficult moral issues arise, not from a confrontation of good and evil, but from a collision between two goods.

The liberal paradigm of regulation and license has led to a society where an 18-year-old girl has the right to public fornication in a pornographic movie – but only if she is paid the minimum wage.

If your aims as a donor are modest, you can accomplish an awful lot. When your aims become elevated beyond a reasonable level, you not only don’t accomplish much, but you can cause a great deal of damage.