Tyranny Quotes

"Wherever law ends, tyranny begins."

John Locke

"There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice."

Montesquieu

"Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom – for himself."

Elbert Hubbard

"O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous To use it like a giant."

"Power is not a means; it is an end."

George Orwell

"Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken."

Abigail Adams

“The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.”

“Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst.”

“Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty.”

“This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.”

“When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.”

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.”

“Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.”

“The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants.”

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

Thomas Jefferson

"There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice."

Montesquieu

"Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny."

Edmund Burke

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."

William Pitt the Younger

"Every act of authority of one man over another, for which there is not an absolute necessity, is tyrannical."

Cesare Beccaria

“He must fear many, whom many fear.”

Publilius Syrus

“Whom they fear they hate.”

Ennius

“Let them hate, so long as they fear.”

Lucius Accius

“I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”

Thomas Jefferson

"The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants."

"In a free country there is much clamour with little suffering; in a despotic state there is little complaint but much suffering."

Lazare Carnot