Self-Interest Quotes

… when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an Assembly can a perfect production be expected?

I have not come here for such reasons. I have come to take away their gold.

There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury

I do not like an injurious lie, except when it injures somebody else.

I began life as an absolute monarchist - on condition, of course, that I be that monarch.

Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing it would be against his interest, and when the reasons which made him bind himself no longer exist. If men were all good, this precept would not be a good one; but as they are bad, and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them.

A state worthy of the name has no friends—only interests. [This is a generalized expression of British Prime Minister John Henry Temple's statement a century earlier.

Men sooner forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony

Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

[Political] offices are as acceptable here as elsewhere, and whenever a man cast a longing eye on them, a rottenness begins in his conduct.

Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff

In a land where so many have a right to air their opinions and where so many interest are bound to collide and have to be reconciled, unanimity can hardly be expected. We were agreed on the evils but differed on the remedies, and amidst this contention of parties, the very zeal and energy of the best citizens became damaging to the public interest.

What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side.

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false-face for the urge to rule it.

Don’t ever ask a barber if you need a haircut.

We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American Eagle in order to feather their own nests.

Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.

There's how, basically, Son Goku from 'Dragon Ball' doesn't fight for the sake of others but because he wants to fight against strong guys. So once 'Dragon Ball' got animated, at any rate, I've always been dissatisfied with the 'righteous hero'-type portrayal they gave him.

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.

Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.

The diplomat holds all acts honorable which bring him success, all things are righteous which serve his ends. If cheating is necessary, he will cheat; if lying is useful, he will lie; if bribery helps, he will bribe; if murder serves, he will order murder; if burglary, seduction, arson or forgery brings success nearer, all and each of these will be done.