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Only an unmitigated despotism demands that the individual citizen shall obey unconditionally every mandate of persons in authority.
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9 quotes by John Stuart Mill · clear filters
Only an unmitigated despotism demands that the individual citizen shall obey unconditionally every mandate of persons in authority.
The interest of the people is that there should be full liberty of censure on every public officer, and on every public act or measure.
A good despotism is an altogether false ideal, which practically (except as a means to some temporary purpose) becomes the most senseless and dangerous of chimeras.
Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.
Her power often gives her what she has no right to, but does not enable her to assert her own rights.
A Sultan's favourite slave has slaves under her, over whom she tyrannizes; but the desirable thing would be that she should neither have slaves nor be a slave.
A man who is morose or violent to his equals, is sure to be one who has lived among inferiors, whom he could frighten or worry into submission.
Even the commonest men reserve the violent, the sulky, the undisguisedly selfish side of their character for those who have no power to withstand it.
If ever any system of privilege and enforced subjection had its yoke tightly riveted on the necks of those who are kept down by it, this has.