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Law Quotes

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Law Quotes

“That which most contributes to the permanence of constitutions is the adaptation of education to the form of government, and yet in our own day this principle is universally neglected. The best laws, though sanctioned by every citizen of the state, will be of no avail unless the young are trained by habit and education in the spirit of the constitution.”

States Government Form Law Young Spirit Principles Habit Citizens Constitution Adaptation Neglected Forms Of Government Permanence

Book:The Essential Aristotle

Source: The Essential Aristotle

“In the Laws it is maintained that the best constitution is made up of democracy and tyranny, which are either not constitutions at all, or are the worst of all. But they are nearer the truth who combine many forms; for the constitution is better which is made up of more numerous elements. The constitution proposed in the Laws has no element of monarchy at all; it is nothing but oligarchy and democracy, leaning rather to oligarchy.”

Made Government Form Law Democracy Worst Elements Constitution Tyranny Monarchy Oligarchy

Book:Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens

Source: Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens

“That the equalization of property exercises an influence on political society was clearly understood even by some of the old legislators. Laws were made by Solon and others prohibiting an individual from possessing as much land as he pleased.”

Made Government Law Political Individual Influence Land Exercise Understood Property Possessing Legislators

Book:Politics

Source: Politics

“If the poor, for example, because they are more in number, divide among themselves the property of the rich,- is not this unjust? . . this law of confiscation clearly cannot be just.”

Ifs Government Law Poor Numbers Rich Example Property Divides Unjust

Book:The Philosophy Collection [97 Books]

Source: The Philosophy Collection [97 Books]

“These, then, are the four kinds of royalty. First the monarchy of the heroic ages; this was exercised over voluntary subjects, but limited to certain functions; the king was a general and a judge, and had the control of religion The second is that of the barbarians, which is a hereditary despotic government in accordance with law. A third is the power of the so-called Aesynmete or Dictator; this is an elective tyranny. The fourth is the Lacedaemonian, which is in fact a generalship, hereditary and perpetual.”

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Aristotle (Illustrated)

“In all well-attempered governments there is nothing which should be more jealously maintained than the spirit of obedience to law, more especially in small matters; for transgression creeps in unperceived and at last ruins the state, just as the constant recurrence of small expenses in time eats up a fortune.”

Should Wells Matter States Government Lasts Law Spirit Constant Fortune Ruins Obedience Expenses Creeps Transgression Recurrence Jealously

Book:The Essential Aristotle

Source: The Essential Aristotle

“Once more: there are three offices according to whose directions the highest magistrates are chosen in certain states - guardians of the law, probuli, councilors - of these, the guardians of the law are an aristocratical, the probuli an oligarchical, the council a democratical institution.”

States Government Law Certain Three Office Highest Institutions Chosen Council Guardian Magistrates

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Aristotle (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Aristotle (Illustrated)

“The goodness or badness, justice or injustice, of laws varies of necessity with the constitution of states. This, however, is clear, that the laws must be adapted to the constitutions. But if so, true forms of government will of necessity have just laws, and perverted forms of government will have unjust laws.”

Ifs States Government Form Law Justice Clear Goodness Constitution Injustice Unjust Vary Adapted Forms Of Government Badness Unjust Laws

Book:Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens

Source: Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens

“Now what is just and right is to be interpreted in the sense of 'what is equal'; and that which is right in the sense of being equal is to be considered with reference to the advantage of the state, and the common good of the citizens. And a citizen is one who shares in governing and being governed. He differs under different forms of government, but in the best state he is one who is able and willing to be governed and to govern with a view to the life of virtue.”

Different States Government Able Form Law Justice Views Common Virtue Share Willing Citizens Equal Advantage Governing Forms Of Government Common Good Being Equal

Book:Politics

Source: Politics

“Men agree that justice in the abstract is proportion, but they differ in that some think that if they are equal in any respect they are equal absolutely, others that if they are unequal in any respect they should be unequal in all. The only stable principle of government is equality according to proportion, and for every man to enjoy his own.”

Ifs Thinking Men Should Government Law Enjoy Justice Principles Equal Agree Every Man Abstract Proportion Stable

Author:Aristotle

“If we had a truth-in Government act comparable to the truth-in-advertising law, every note issued by the Treasury would be obliged to include a sentence stating: This note will be redeemed with the proceeds from an identical note which will be sold to the public when this one comes due.”

Ifs Government Would Be Law Notes Investing Sentences Dues Advertising Obliged Identical Treasury Redeemed

Author:Walter Wriston

“Government means always coercion and compulsion and is by necessity the opposite of liberty. Government is a guarantor of liberty and is compatible with liberty only if its range is adequately restricted to the preservation of economic freedom. Where there is no market economy, the best-intentioned provisions of constitutions and laws remain a dead letter.”

Source: Economic freedom and interventionism: an anthology of articles and essays

“I would have government defend the life and property of all citizens equally; protect all willing exchange; suppress and penalize all fraud, all misrepresentation, all violence, all predatory practices; invoke a common justice under law; and keep the records incidental to these functions. Even this is a bigger assignment than governments, generally, have proven capable of. Let governments do these things and do them well. Leave all else to men in free and creative effort.”