Political Coercion Quotes

Lyndon Johnson was perhaps the greatest political arm twister in the country’s history.

Because politics rests on an irreducible measure of coercion, it can never become a perfect realm of perfect love and justice.

Political freedom means the absence of coercion of a man by his fellow men. The fundamental threat to freedom is power to coerce, be it in the hands of a monarch, a dictator, an oligarchy, or a momentary majority. The preservation of freedom requires the elimination of such concentration of power to the fullest possible extent and the dispersal and distribution of whatever power cannot be eliminated — a system of checks and balances.

Forcing some countries to accept democracy is something that should not be done.

... the trouble is, once you give in to a Voting Bloc, you become an addict. Just about every politician in New York is a political junkie.

The Turks would seem to be well within their rights in demanding that ancient servitudes should be abolished. Special concessions and privileges obtained by diplomatic intrigues, bribery or unfair coercion should not be revived, particularly when they served the ulterior political end of "pacific penetration.

The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'

I have never felt that it was my duty to attempt to coerce Senators or Representatives, or take reprisals.

A government with all this mass of favours to give or to withhold, however free in name, wields a power of bribery scarcely surpassed by an avowed autocracy, rendering it master of the elections in almost any circumstances but those of rare and extraordinary public excitement.

I order you to hold a free election but forbid you to elect any but Richard [d'Ilchester.]

In a democracy, you believe it or not; in a dictatorship, you believe it or else.

The dictatorship of the Communist Party is maintained by recourse to every form of violence.

The President has to persuade Congress to do what they do not want to do.

Governments keep their promises only when they are forced, or when it is to their advantage to do so.

Please do not be coopted by the current political class.

I never staged a coup. They picked me up. Like I say, they forced me to become premier, maybe hoping that by that way, they send me to the electric chair.

Richard Nixon said it best. It makes no difference whether they hold your nose or whether they go would through a wall to vote for you. It counts the same with the X.

Many who think they are workers in politics are really merely tools.

Pressure and protest is fine, but using fear and threats to force politicians to sing to a certain tune will be the death of our democracy.

To build a country, [Joseph] Stalin was obliged to use force and kill. Mao Tse-tung was obliged to use force and kill. To mention only two recent cases, without raking over the whole history of the world.

Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bureaucrats so long as we bask in their friendly smile. But it is a dangerous temptation. Today politics may be our friend and tomorrow we may be its victims.

It must be remembered that the Bush White House has a separate talent for character assassination that must not be confused with a talent for governance.

The purpose and function of government is not to preside over change but to prevent change. By political methods when unavoidable, by violence when convenient.

Therefore, I feel convinced that any political picture can be changed to suit the needs of the powers that be.

The only violence was when these so-called 'freedom fighters' terrorized the poor Africans in the villages... They were told what to do and who to support.