The error arises from the learned jurists deceiving themselves and others, by asserting that government is not what it really is, one set of men banded together to oppress another set of men, but, as shown by science, is the representation of the citizens in their collective capacity.

— Leo Tolstoy The Kingdom of God is Within You (1894)

Variants

Government is an association of men who do violence to the rest of us.

Confession (1882)

What is Art? (1897)

War and Peace (1865)

What Is To Be Done? (1886)

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Leo Tolstoy (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.