The so-called progressives, who are crafty and cowardly enough to dabble all their life in politics and to ignore all social evils, have long been regarded by us as part and parcel of the “reactionary mass.” Progress of that kind is just the opposite to morality. By calling retrogression “progress,” and anti-social selfishness “morality,” they corrupt the language and notions of the people. And they don't do it unconsciously either. It is a part of a deep scheme laid with deliberation by wicked immorality. Whenever morality demands freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of press, etc., or whenever human evolution demands any other concession, you will soon find certain people busy with castrating these i... (From: Part II..)
...the world liked to be fooled, and a King should know the art of fooling it better than any one else. (From: Chapter 27: The Years of Reaction and Repression (....)
...there will be an impact at election time (or rather in the year following the election). This initial impact will most likely be psychological. (From: Part 3: Reasons Behind the Trade Union Decline, Ch....)
The sacrosanct word "democracy" is able to fabricate a catechism even richer in miraculous fairy stories than the old one, and these people are quite ready to gulp it down devoutly. (From: Chapter 6: Trouble on the Left, Page 97..)
When we assert, that all lawful government arises from the consent of the people, we certainly do them a great deal more honor than they deserve... (From: Part II. Essay XII. Of the Original Contract..)
When one looks at the all-prevailing schizophrenia of democratic societies, the lies that have to be told for vote-catching purposes, the silence about major issues, the distortions of the press, it is tempting to believe that in totalitarian countries there is less humbug, more facing of the facts. There, at least, the ruling groups are not dependent on popular favor and can utter the truth crudely and brutally. Goering could say 'Guns before butter', while his democratic opposite numbers had to wrap the same sentiment up in hundreds of hypocritical words.
...these highly-enlightened and honest people have to begin to compromise, and so, little by little, come to consider that for a good end one may swerve somewhat from truth in word and deed. For instance, that one may, though not believing in the established Church, take part in its ceremonies; may take oaths; may, when necessary for the success of some affair, present petitions couched in language which is untruthful and derogatory to man's natural dignity; may enter the army; may take part in a Local Government which h as been stripped of all its powers; may serve as a master or a professor, teaching not what one considers necessary one's self, but what one is told to teach by the Government; that one may even become a Zemsky Natchalnik s...
...democracy is a potent ideology that can be used to cover the worst sorts of elite manipulation while raising false expectations and demanding sacrifices from those receiving the fewest rewards. (From: Preface, Page xi..)
