"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one."

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More quotes from: Thomas Paine

• "A bad cause will never be supported by bad means and bad men. "
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• "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in ..."
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• "Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man. "
• "But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it ..."
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• "Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, ..."
• "He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; ..."
• "Human nature is not of itself vicious. "
• "I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in ..."
• "I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman ..."
• "I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, ..."
• "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may ..."
• "If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately. "
• "It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. ..."
• "It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that ..."
• "It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration. "

• "Lead, follow, or get out of the way. "
• "Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. "
• "My country is the world, and my religion is to do good. "
• "My mind is my own church. "
• "Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. "
• "Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels ..."
• "That government is best which governs least. "
• "That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. "
• "The abilities of man must fall short on one side or the other, like too ..."
• "The greatest remedy for anger is delay. "
• "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. "
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• "The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason. "
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• "These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, ..."
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• "Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title. "
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• "We have it in our power to begin the world over again. "
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• "When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary. "