A party of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life.

The will of the people, moreover, practically means the will of the most numerous or the most active part of the people; the majority, or those who succeed in making themselves accepted as the majority; type people, consequently, may desire to oppress a part of their number; and precautions are as much needed against this as against any other abuse of power.

This is what writers mean when they say that the notion of cause involves the idea of necessity. If there be any meaning which confessedly belongs to the term necessity, it is unconditionalness. That which is necessary, that which must be, means that which will be, whatever supposition we may make in regard to all other things.

Political Economy as a branch of science is extremely modern; but the subject with which its enquiries are conversant has in all ages necessarily constituted one of the chief practical interests of mankind.

The spirit of improvement is not always a spirit of liberty, for it may aim at forcing improvements on an unwilling people.

When the land is cultivated entirely by the spade and no horses are kept, a cow is kept for every three acres of land.

What distinguishes the majority of men from the few is their inability to act according to their beliefs.