The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people.
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It is a commonplace that the history of civilisation is largely the history of weapons. In particular, the connection between the discovery of gunpowder and the overthrow of feudalism by the bourgeoisie has been pointed out over and over again. And though I have no doubt exceptions can be brought forward, I think the following rule would be found to be generally true that ages in which the dominant weapon is expensive or difficult to make will be ages of despotism, whereas when the dominant weapon is cheap and simple, the common people have a chance. Thus, for example, tanks, battleships and bombing planes are inherently tyrannical weapons, while rifles, muskets, long-bows and hand-grenades are inherently democratic weapons. A complex weapon makes the strong stronger, while a simple weapon --so long as there is no answer to it-- gives claws to the weak.
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Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet.
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Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.
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It is never governments or well funded organizations that affect revolutionary change, but the common people, unwilling to sit back any longer and watch the animals they love be destroyed.
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Ridicule is a weak weapon when pointed at a strong mind; but common people are cowards and dread an empty laugh.
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Praise from the common people is generally false, and rather follows the vain that the virtuous.
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The purpose of Compulsory Education is to deprive the common people of their commonsense.
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Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty.
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God must hate common people, because he made them so common.
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Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard
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Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
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Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet
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Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
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Common people do not pray; they only beg.
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Religion is excellent stuff for keeping the common people quiet.
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Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
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