First, a wish for a blessed new year filled with peace and love to all of you here at DU.
At the new year, when we reflect on the passing years, I find it helpful to look to the past for perspective. Here are a few thoughts I dug up on empire and all it's glorious aspects as well as the fall of empire which seem relevant today. I hope others will add to this short list.
From Asimov's
Foundation(just because I'm re-reading it now):
The fall of Empire, gentlemen, is a massive thing, however, and not easily fought. It is dictated by a rising bureaucracy, a receding initiative, a freezing of caste, a damming of curiosity-a hundred other factors.
From Edmund Burke (English Statesman in the 1700's):
Free governments have committed more flagrant acts of tyranny than the most perfectly despotic governments we have ever known.
Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
From William Pitt, the Elder (1st Earl of Chatham. 1700's):
Where law ends tyranny begins.
From William Pitt, the younger (1700's):
Necessity is the arguments of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
From Demosthenes (Greek orator, 300's BC):
It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury and treachery.
From Napoleon:
Even in war moral power is to physical as three parts out of four.
From Bacon (Francis Bacon, 1500's)
In the youth of a state, arms do flourish; in the middle age, learning; and then both of them together for a time; in the declining age, mechanical arts and merchandise.
From Caleb Colton (English clergy, 1700's):
Despotism can no more exist in a nation until the liberty of the press be destroyed, than night can happen before the sun is set.
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