Politics Quotes by Jonathan Swift

16 Politics quotes by Jonathan Swift

All Politics quotes Jonathan Swift’s page

Swift’s razor‑sharp satire still lands today. These sixteen observations skew the absurdities of governance, delivering his classic blend of humor and moral sting without repeating the same old punchlines.

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For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.

Jonathan Swift

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Triumphant Tories, and desponding Whigs, Forget their feuds, and join to save their wigs.

Jonathan Swift

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Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruption.

Jonathan Swift

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Party is the madness of many for the gain of a few.

Jonathan Swift

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Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions.

Jonathan Swift

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I can discover no political evil in suffering bullies, sharpers, and rakes, to rid the world of each other by a method…

Jonathan Swift

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“But though a Church of England man thinks every species of government equally lawful, he does not think them equally expedient; or…

Jonathan Swift

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The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.

Jonathan Swift

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Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions, and consequently of no use to a good king or a…

Jonathan Swift

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When any one person or body of men seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is properly no…

Jonathan Swift

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The most ignorant person, at a reasonable charge, and with a little bodily labour, might write books in philosophy, poetry, politics, laws,…

Jonathan Swift

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And he gave it for his opinion, "that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow…

Jonathan Swift

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“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should…

Jonathan Swift

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“He likewise directed, “that every senator in the great council of a nation, after he had delivered his opinion, and argued in…

Jonathan Swift

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Whoever makes two ears of corn, or two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before, deserves better of mankind,…

Jonathan Swift

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If a man would register all his opinions upon love, politics, religion, learning etc., beginning from his youth, and so go to…

Jonathan Swift

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Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…

Jonathan Swift

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“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should not be…

Jonathan Swift

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I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…

Jonathan Swift

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A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.

Jonathan Swift

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I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.

Jonathan Swift

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The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…

Jonathan Swift

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A lie is an excuse guarded

Jonathan Swift

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A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest…

Jonathan Swift

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May you live every day of your life.

Jonathan Swift

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Ale is meat, drink and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb.

Jonathan Swift

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All fits of pleasure are balanced by an equal degree of pain or languor; it is like spending this year part of the next…

Jonathan Swift

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Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind…

Jonathan Swift

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