I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are.

The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.