Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.
THOMAS PAINEWe repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.
More Thomas Paine Quotes
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Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undertake to support it.
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The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.
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The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.
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When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind of corruption generates and forms.
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Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
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When it becomes necessary to do a thing, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it.
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He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
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Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
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Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
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Every proprietor owes to the community a ground-rent for the land which he holds.
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The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
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Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another. It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man.
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Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property… Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.
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To take away voting is to reduce a man to slavery.
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It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.
THOMAS PAINE