“The bourgeoisie is many times stronger than we. To give it the weapon of freedom of the press is to ease the enemy’s cause, to help the class enemy. We do not desire to end in suicide, so we will not do this.”

Fascism is capitalism in decay.

Comrade Stalin, having become Secretary-General, has unlimited authority concentrated in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of using that authority with sufficient caution.

I am a bad, wicked man, but I am practicing moral self-purification; I don’t eat meat any more, I now eat rice cutlets.

Democracy for an insignificant minority, democracy for the rich — that is the democracy of capitalist society.

Of all the arts, for us the cinema is the most important.

You must act with all energy. Mass searches. Execution for concealing arms.

But every little difference may become a big one if it is insisted on.

Three keys to success: read, read, read.

Pacifism, the preaching of peace in the abstract, is one of the means of duping the working class.

We Social-Democrats always stand for democracy, not “in the name of capitalism,” but in the name of clearing the path for our movement, which clearing is impossible without the development of capitalism.

There can be nothing more abominable than religion.

The true leader must submerge himself in the fountain of the people.

The art of any propagandist and agitator consists in his ability to find the best means of influencing any given audience, by presenting a definite truth, in such a way as to make it most convincing, most easy to digest, most graphic, and most strongly impressive.

It is true that liberty is precious; so precious that it must be carefully rationed.

One of the basic conditions for the victory of socialism is the arming of the workers Communist and the disarming of the bourgeoisie the middle class.

When a liberal is abused, he says, ‘Thank God they didn’t beat me.’ When he is beaten, he thanks God they didn’t kill him. When he is killed, he will thank God that his immortal soul has been delivered from its mortal clay.

It all comes down, as it must, to the desires of individual men. Oh, and women too of course, bless their empty little heads.

He who reigns within himself and rules passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.

In general, women desire to rule over their husbands and lovers, to be the authority above them.

Sweet Love of youth, forgive, if I forget thee, While the world’s tide is bearing me along; Sterner desires and darker hopes beset me, Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong.

He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart he put other different desires.

Desire is a pain which seeks easement through possession.

Ladies in bunches always filled me with vague apprehension and a firm desire to be elsewhere.

There is no more desire to live past one’s time than to die before it.