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Authority quotes

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“Wherever there is a man who exercises authority, there is a man who resists authority.” Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man under Socialism

“If there is disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is weak.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War

“But there is no necessity to separate the monarch from the mob; all authority is equally bad.” Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man under Socialism

“he who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” Aristotle, Politics

“Every one has his superstitions. One of mine is that in positions of great responsibility every one should do his duty to the best of his ability where assigned by competent authority, without application or the use of influence to change his...” Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

“I am ashamed to think how easily we capitulate to badges and names, to large societies and dead institutions.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

“And history teaches this iron law of revolutions: the more extensive the eradication of existing authority, the more its successors must rely on naked power to establish themselves. For, in the end, legitimacy involves an acceptance of authority...” Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy

“A child who passes through many hands in turn, can never be well brought up.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, or On Education

“You can't stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.” J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

“Nice customs curtsy to great kings.” William Shakespeare, Henry V

“There thou mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog's obeyed in office.” William Shakespeare, King Lear

“There is no fettering of authority.” William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well

“He seems to be of great authority. Close with him, give him gold; and though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold.” William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale

“Nothing could be more gracefully majestic than his step and manner, had they not been marked by a predominant air of haughtiness, easily acquired by the exercise of unresisted authority.” Walter Scott, Ivanhoe

“In the United States each separate journal exercises but little authority, but the power of the periodical press is only second to that of the people.” Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

“in science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts.” Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World

“these are your bannermen, not your friends. You named yourself battle commander. Command.” George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

“Do not be scared by the word authority. Believing things on authority only means believing them because you have been told them by someone you think trustworthy.” C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Related topics

disturbance power leadership education weakness resistance responsibility friendship strength science belief duty respect trust people crowd tradition grace labels resisting

Related authors

William Shakespeare (4)
Oscar Wilde (2)
Aristotle (1)
Sun Tzu (1)
Henry Kissinger (1)
George R. R. Martin (1)
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1)
C. S. Lewis (1)
Carl Sagan (1)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1)
J. D. Salinger (1)
Alexis de Tocqueville (1)
Ulysses S. Grant (1)
Walter Scott (1)

Related sources

The Soul of Man under Socialism (2)
A Game of Thrones (1)
The Art of War (1)
The Catcher in the Rye (1)
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (1)
Mere Christianity (1)
Democracy in America (1)
The Demon-Haunted World (1)
Self-Reliance (1)
All's Well That Ends Well (1)
King Lear (1)
Emile, or On Education (1)
Henry V (1)
The Winter's Tale (1)
Politics (1)
Ivanhoe (1)
Diplomacy (1)