Politics Quotes

"The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution."

"The refugee is a symptom of the loss of faith in the nation-state."

"Imperialism is the political outfit of the bourgeoisie."

"The personal is not political; politics belongs to the public realm."

"The state is the realization of ethical life, the embodiment of freedom."

"Public opinion is a power that must be respected, yet often reflects ignorance."

"Civil law protects individual property rights within the framework of universal reason."

"The state should be organized to promote both freedom and ethical life."

"The minimal state, limited to the narrow functions of protection against theft, assault, and fraud, is justified; any more extensive state will be unjustified."

"The question of what justifies the state is a deep question about what can justify one group coercing others."

"The question is not merely how resources should be distributed, but why some distribution is anyone's to make."

"The state cannot justify coercive redistribution on the grounds that it benefits the worse off."

"The minimal state respects the separateness of individuals while providing legitimate protection."

"The redistributive state treats some citizens as means to the ends of others."

"The legitimacy of the state depends on whether it can justify its coercive force."

"The state exists to protect rights, not to engineer particular distributions."

"Legitimate authority must be based on principles that respect individual rights."

"Coercive institutions require stronger justification than the mere production of good outcomes."

"The state cannot legitimately treat citizens as means to collective ends."

"Legitimate authority requires actual consent or the possibility of exit."

"The minimal state provides protection without violating individual rights."

"The legitimacy of social institutions rests on their respect for individual rights."

"Coercive institutions cannot be justified solely by appeal to efficiency or utility."

"The state's power to coerce must be justified by principles that respect all citizens."

"Political liberalism distinguishes between comprehensive doctrines and the basic structure of society."

"Political power is legitimate only when exercised in ways all citizens could rationally accept."

"Political justice requires that fundamental decisions be made through procedures all citizens could accept."

"Political legitimacy rests on justifiability to all citizens as free and equal persons."

"Political power should be exercised according to principles that could be justified to all."

"Democratic legitimacy requires that basic political decisions be justifiable to all citizens."