--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we look at the black record of mass…" description: "\"If we look at the black record of mass murder, exploitation, and tyranny levied on society by governments over the ages, we need not be loath to abando..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg" --- # If we look at the black record of mass murder… ![“If we look at the black record of mass murder, exploitation, and tyranny levied on society by governments over the ages, we need not be loath to abandon the Leviathan State and . . . try freedom.” quote by Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg) > “If we look at the black record of mass murder, exploitation, and tyranny levied on society by governments over the ages, we need not be loath to abandon the Leviathan State and . . . try freedom.” [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government oppression historically causes massive harm; abandoning it may lead to true liberty. **In simple terms:** Governments cause suffering; freedom may be better. Key Takeaway Consider rejecting oppressive authority. Themes politics freedom government history Mood critical reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - political reform - civil disobedience - community organization Key Concepts Anarchism libertarianism state power Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to state control can protect rights? - How can societies ensure order without oppression? A Different Perspective Freedom alone may not guarantee safety or order. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abandon/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Exploitation Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation-tyranny-1362574/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Leviathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leviathan/) [Leviathan State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leviathan-state-1362576/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Try Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-freedom-1362573/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Tyranny Levied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny-levied-1362575/) ## Related quotes > [The leviathan state, that monster devouring civilization in this century, is in the throes of death. This is not a wish or a prediction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/the-leviathan-state-that-monster-devouring-civilization-in-this/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [“we now have a Leviathan state, far from the limited government the Founders envisioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/we-now-have-a-leviathan-state-far-from-the-limited-government-the/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [“The greatest threat to a robust, autonomous civil society is the ever-growing Leviathan state and those like Obama who see it as the ultimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-greatest-threat-to-a-robust-autonomous-civil-society-is-the-ever/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [You try to run to try to have freedom and try to have fun and sometimes you have to take care of the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-rubio/you-try-to-run-to-try-to-have-freedom-and-try-to-have-fun-and/) [Ricky Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-rubio/) > [“It’s a free country. Well, try to get some freedom to do. Fella says you’re jus’ as free as you got jack to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-s-a-free-country-well-try-to-get-some-freedom-to-do-fella-says-you/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I try to show the freedom to be yourself, unapologetically and irreverently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/i-try-to-show-the-freedom-to-be-yourself-unapologetically-and/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [“This is a leviathan I am about to ship out to sea...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/this-is-a-leviathan-i-am-about-to-ship-out-to-sea/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“s eye view of what has been promiscuously said, thought, fancied, and sung of Leviathan, by many nations and generations, including our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/s-eye-view-of-what-has-been-promiscuously-said-thought-fancied-and/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Where there is no common power, there is no law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/where-there-is-no-common-power-there-is-no-law/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“For all these reasons, then, any way you may look at it, you must needs conclude that the great Leviathan is that one creature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/for-all-these-reasons-then-any-way-you-may-look-at-it-you-must-needs/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Leviathan is not the biggest fish; — I have heard of Krakens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/leviathan-is-not-the-biggest-fish-i-have-heard-of-krakens/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Welcome to the age of paper money, where governments and central banks can manufacture as much money as they want without limit. Gold was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/welcome-to-the-age-of-paper-money-where-governments-and-central-banks/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [The Book of Job is advice on how to live in terms of the absolute power of nature. Leviathan is advice on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-phillip-verene/the-book-of-job-is-advice-on-how-to-live-in-terms-of-the-absolute/) [Donald Phillip Verene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-phillip-verene/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [I think Americans such as Leviathan have done a lot to expand the sonic palette of black metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/i-think-americans-such-as-leviathan-have-done-a-lot-to-expand-the/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) ## More by Murray Rothbard > [I think one of the most important directions to be pursued in the 'sciences of human action' is to develop a natural-law ethics based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-directions-to-be-pursued-in-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Since the State necessarily lives by the compulsory confiscation of private capital, and since its expansion necessarily involves ever-greater incursions on private individuals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/since-the-state-necessarily-lives-by-the-compulsory-confiscation-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Falling prices through increased production is a wonderful long-run tendency of untrammeled capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/falling-prices-through-increased-production-is-a-wonderful-long-run/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Cops must be unleashed, and allowed to administer instant punishment, subject of course to liability when they are in error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/cops-must-be-unleashed-and-allowed-to-administer-instant-punishment/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Subjectivism is not an absolute principle; it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for sound methodology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/subjectivism-is-not-an-absolute-principle-it-is-a-necessary-but-not/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [John Stuart was the quintessence of soft rather than hardcore, a woolly minded man of mush in striking contrast to his steel-edged father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/john-stuart-was-the-quintessence-of-soft-rather-than-hardcore-a/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [What do intellectuals and opinion makers get from big government? An increasing number of cushy jobs in the bureaucracy, or in the government-subsidized sector,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/what-do-intellectuals-and-opinion-makers-get-from-big-government-an/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The major reason for Keynes's rejection of communism was simply that he could scarcely identify with the grubby proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-major-reason-for-keynes-s-rejection-of-communism-was-simply-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Liberty and morality had to win their way slowly over many centuries, until finally expanding liberty made possible the great technological advance of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/liberty-and-morality-had-to-win-their-way-slowly-over-many-centuries/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The State has invariably shown a striking talent for the expansion of its powers beyond any limits that might be imposed upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-state-has-invariably-shown-a-striking-talent-for-the-expansion-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization; men are born free, and need never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization. Man may achieve liberty and abundance, freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the-2/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The underconsumptionist of 1819 believed that consumption would be stimulated by tariffs, while the underconsumptionist of a later day urged monetary expansion as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-underconsumptionist-of-1819-believed-that-consumption-would-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) [Explore all 227 Murray Rothbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/every-subjective-phenomenon-is-essentially-connected-with-a-single/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I care so deeply about this matter that I'm willing to take on the legal penalties, to sit in this prison cell, to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-care-so-deeply-about-this-matter-that-i-m-willing-to-take-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) [Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abandon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we look at the black record of mass murder, exploitation, and tyranny levied on society by governments over the ages, we need not be loath to abandon the Leviathan State and . . . try freedom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Murray Rothbard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-murder-exploitation-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abandon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-murder-exploitation-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/murray-rothbard-1563_abandon_if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-m_914116.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we look at the black record of mass murder, exploitation, and tyranny levied on society by governments…” — Murray Rothbard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Murray Rothbard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we look at the black...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-murder-exploitation-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/if-we-look-at-the-black-record-of-mass-murder-exploitation-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```