Towns Were The Nursery Of

The Man Who Prefers His Country Before Any Other Duty Shows The Same Spirit As The Man Who Surrenders Every Right To The State. They Both Deny That Right Is Superior To Authority.

The Fate Of Every Democracy, Of Every Government Based On The Sovereignty Of The People, Depends On The Choices It Makes Between These Opposite Principles, Absolute Power On The One Hand, And On The Other The Restraints Of Legality And The Authority Of Tradition.

Fanaticism Displays Itself In The Masses; But The Masses Were Rarely Fanaticised; And The Crimes Ascribed To It Were Commonly Due To The Calculations Of Dispassionate Politicians.

The State Is Competent To Assign Duties And Draw The Line Between Good And Evil Only In Its Immediate Sphere. Beyond The Limits Of Things Necessary For Its Well-being, It Can Only Give Indirect Help To Fight The Battle Of Life By Promoting The Influences Which Prevail Against Temptation--religion, Education, And The Distribution Of Wealth.

A Public Man Has No Right To Let His Actions Be Determined By Particular Interests. He Does The Same Thing As A Judge Who Accepts A Bribe. Like A Judge He Must Consider What Is Right, Not What Is Advantageous To A Party Or Class.