I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.

A people living under the perpetual menace of war and invasion is very easy to govern. It demands no social reform. It does not haggle over expenditures for armaments and military equipment. It pays without discussion, it ruins itself, and that is an excellent thing for the syndicates of financiers and manufacturers for whom patriotic terrors are an abundant source of gain.

Jealousy is a virtue of democracies which preserves them from tyrants.

For every monarchy overthrown the sky becomes less brilliant, because it loses a star. A republic is ugliness set free.

War will disappear only when men shall take no part whatever in violence and shall be ready to suffer every persecution that their abstention will bring them. It is the only way to abolish war.

Chance is perhaps the pseudonym of God when he did not want to sign.

Silence is the wit of fools.