H. L. Mencken Quote

"Liberty ... was a two-headed boon.
There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole
to determine the forms of their own government,
to levy their own taxes, and to make their own laws....
There was second, the liberty of the individual man
to live his own life, within the limits of decency and decorum,
as he pleased -- freedom from the despotism of the majority."

by:	H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American Journalist, Editor, Essayist, Linguist, Lexicographer, and Critic
Date:	1926
Rating:
Categories:	Honor, Individualism, Justice, Law, Liberty, Taxation
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Democracy, like most forms of "government" fails to recognize individual rights. It's Mob Rule in a Cheap Suit.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
OK, I like it - the ordering intangible that is government, illustrating and administering the principles of freedom and liberty, can have differing determinable forms. And, the only limits on the individual are, that of a natural law's decency and decorum (sorta, the right to my swinging fist ends at your nose).  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
Unfortunately, collectivism wiped from the citizens' minds the notion that the rights of the individual are primary and above the so-called 'rights' of the mob.  -- E Archer, NYC      2
Mencken was right, as usual.  -- Jim K, Austin
-- jim k, Austin

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