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H. L. Mencken

H. L. Mencken Quotes

Journalist

H. L. Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. Born on September 12, 1880, and passing away on January 29, 1956, Mencken is renowned for his significant contributions to American culture and language, particularly through his satirical essays and critical analyses of the American establishment.

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Famous H. L. Mencken Quotes

“If experience teaches us anything at all, it teaches us this: that a good politician, under democracy, is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.”

Ifs Politics Teach Democracy Honest Politician Unthinkable Burglars Good Politicians

Book:PREJUDICES A SELECTION

Source: PREJUDICES A SELECTION

“A politician normally prospers under democracy in proportion ... as he excels in the invention of imaginary perils and imaginary defenses against them.”

War Liberty Democracy Politician Defense Invention Proportion Imaginary Peril

Author:H. L. Mencken

“The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.”

Evil Freedom Democracy Cures Democracies Have

Book:Mencken Chrestomathy

Source: Mencken Chrestomathy

“The most popular man under a democracy is not the most democratic man, but the most despotic man. The common folk delight in the exactions of such a man. They like him to boss them. Their natural gait is the goose step.”

Men Natural Common Steps Democracy Democratic Folks Delight Boss Geese Gait Common Folk

Book:H.L. Mencken: Prejudices: First, Second, and Third Series

Source: H.L. Mencken: Prejudices: First, Second, and Third Series

“If x is the population of the United States and y is the degree of imbecility of the average American, then democracy is the theory that x times y is less than y”

Ifs States United United States Democracy Theory Degrees Average Population Imbecility

Author:H. L. Mencken

“Free speech is too dangerous to a democracy to be permitted”

Democracy Dangerous Speech Free Speech

Author:H. L. Mencken

“The saddest life is that of a political aspirant under democracy. His failure is ignominious and his success is disgraceful.”

Political Life Is Democracy Saddest Disgraceful

Author:H. L. Mencken

“Democracy the domination of unreflective and timorous men, moved in vast herds by mob conditions.”

Men Democracy Conditions Moved Domination Herds

Author:H. L. Mencken

“Liberty and democracy are eternal enemies, and every one knows it who has ever given any sober reflection to the matter.”

Knows Matter Given Liberty Enemy Democracy Eternal Reflection Sober

Author:H. L. Mencken

“If the American people really tire of democracy and want to make a trial of Fascism, I shall be the last person to object. But if that is their mood, then they had better proceed toward their aim by changing the Constitution and not by forgetting it.”

People Ifs Want Persons Lasts Political Forget Democracy Objects Constitution Aim Mood Trials Fascism Tire Right To Bear Arms

Author:H. L. Mencken

About the Author

Born: September 12, 1880
Died: January 29, 1956
Known for: Journalist
Quotes: 930

Related Topics

Men Ifs World Believe Democracy Liberty Government Humans Freedom Literature Facts Funny Knows May People Ideas Political States Religion Thinking

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Books & Sources

Mencken ChrestomathyRelated source material

Minority ReportRelated source material

H.L. Mencken: Prejudices: First, Second, and Third SeriesRelated source material

Prejudices: Third SeriesRelated source material

A little book in C majorRelated source material

In Defense of Women: Human SexualityRelated source material

Prejudices Fourth SeriesRelated source material

PREJUDICES A SELECTIONRelated source material

A book of prefacesRelated source material

Diary of H. L. MenckenRelated source material

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