A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice. Thomas Paine The Rights of Man (1792)
Toleration is not the *opposite* of intoleration, but is the counterfeit of it. Both are despotisms. The one assumes to itself the right of withholding liberty of conscience, and the other of granting it. The one is the pope, armed with fire and faggot, and the other is the pope selling or granting indulgences.
Thomas Paine, _Rights of Man_
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.-- Thomas Paine
Though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.--Thomas Paine,The American Crisis, #1, December 23, 1776.
War is the common harvest of all those who participate in the division and expenditure of public money, in all countries. It is the art of *conquering at home:* the object of it is an increase of revenue; and as revenue cannot be increased without taxes, a pretence must be made for expenditures. In reviewing the history of the English government, its wars, and taxes, an observer, not blinded by prejudice, nor warped by interest would declare, that taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes. --Thomas Paine, _Rights of Man_
No comments:
Post a Comment