Politics and Power

Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies.

Not necessity, not desire - no, the love of power is the demon of men. Let them have everything - health, food, a place to live, entertainment - they are and remain unhappy and low-spirited: for the demon waits and waits and will be satisfied.

What is good? All that heightens the feeling of power, the will to power, power itself in man.

The world itself is the will to power - and nothing else! And you yourself are the will to power - and nothing else!

Morality is the best of all devices for leading mankind by the nose.

In architecture the pride of man his triumph over gravitation his will to power assume a visible form. Architecture is a sort of oratory of power by means of forms.

All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.

That which now calls itself democracy differs from older forms of government solely in that it drives with new horses: the streets are still the same old streets, and the wheels are likewise the same old wheels.

This workshop where ideals are manufactured--it seems to me it stinks of so many lies

Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has it has stolen.

If you invest all your energy in economics, world commerce, parliamentarianism, military engagements, power and power politics, -if you take the quantum of intelligence, seriousness, will, and self-overcoming that you embody and expend it all in this one direction, there there won't be any left for the other direction. Culture and the state - let us be honest with ourselves - these are adversaries.

State is the name of the coldest of all cold monsters. Coldly it lies; and this lie slips from its mouth: 'I, the state, am the people.

A thinking man never be a party man.

Business people - Your business - is your greatest prejudice: it ties you to your locality, to the company you keep, to the inclinations you feel. Diligent in business - but indolent in spirit, content with your inadequacy, and with the cloak of duty hung over this contentment: that is how you live, that is how you want your children to live!

All modern philosophizing is political, policed by governments, churches, academics, custom, fashion, and human cowardice, all off which limit it to a fake learnedness.

The lunatic fringe wags the underdog.

In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.

Knowing exactly how much of the future can be introduced into the present is the secret of a great government.

Government never furthered any enterprise but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way.

Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state wants to live at the expense of everyone.

Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.

When things don’t go well they like to blame presidents; and that’s something that presidents are paid for.

The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.