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Quotes from The Economic Tendency of Freethought — Voltairine de Cleyre

1866–1912 United States

← All quotes by Voltairine de Cleyre

11 quotes

Of the exercise of a right power may deprive me; of the right itself, never.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

A right, in the abstract, is a fact; it is not a thing to be given, established, or conferred; it is. Of the exercise of a right power may deprive me; of the right itself, never.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

Sometimes I dream of this social change. I get a streak of faith in Evolution, and the good in man.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

An agent is usually held accountable to his principals.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

This is not a question of expediency, but of right.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

In the transition epoch, surely crimes will come.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

First, then, God, being all-just, wishes to do justice; being all-wise, knows what justice is; being all-powerful, can do justice. Why then injustice?

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

I am told this is farfetched idealism, to paint this happy, povertyless, crimeless, diseaseless world; I have been told I "ought to be behind the bars" for it.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

The paramount question of the day is not political, is not religious, but is economic. The crying-out demand of today is for a circle of principles that shall forever make it impossible for one man to control another by controlling the means of his existence.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

I think it can be shown that the law makes ten criminals where it restrains one. On that basis it would not, as a matter of policy merely, be an economical institution.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

A man won't steal, ordinarily, unless that which he steals is something he cannot as easily get without stealing; in liberty the cost of stealing would involve greater difficulties than producing, and consequently he would not be apt to steal.

The Economic Tendency of Freethought (1890)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Voltairine de Cleyre (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.