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Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.

William Godwin

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William Godwin
Age: 80 †
Born: 1756
Born: March 3
Died: 1836
Died: April 7
Journalist
Novelist
Philosopher
Political Philosopher
Science Fiction Writer
Writer
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire
Revolution
Engendered
Indignation
Pregnancy
Pregnant
Tyranny

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To conceive that compulsion and punishment are the proper means of reformation is the sentiment of a barbarian.
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Power is not happiness. Security and peace are more to be desired than a name at which nations tremble.
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Self-respect to be nourished in the mind of the pupil, is one of the most valuable results of a well conducted education.
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Every man has a certain sphere of discretion which he has a right to expect shall not be infringed by his neighbours. This right flows from the very nature of man.
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Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.
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The proper method for hastening the decay of error, is not, by brute force, or by regulation which is one of the classes of force, to endeavour to reduce men to intellectual uniformity but on the contrary by teaching every man to think for himself.
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Whenever government assumes to deliver us from the trouble of thinking for ourselves, the only consequences it produces are those of torpor and imbecility.
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Revolutions are the produce of passion, not of sober and tranquil reason.
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The first duty of man is to take none of the principles of conduct upon trust to do nothing without a clear and individual conviction that it is right to be done.
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Everything that is usually understood by the term co-operation is, in some degree, an evil.
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Learning is the ally, not the adversary of genius... he who reads in a proper spirit, can scarcely read too much.
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If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong but he really punishes me because his argument is weak.
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It is absurd to expect the inclinations and wishes of two human beings to coincide, through any long period of time. To oblige them to act and live together is to subject them to some inevitable potion of thwarting, bickering, and unhappiness.
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All education is despotism. It is perhaps impossible for the young to be conducted without introducing in many cases the tyranny implicit in obedience. Go there do that read write rise lie down - will perhaps forever be the language addressed to youth by age.
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Obey this may be right but beware of reverence.... Government is nothing but regulated force force is its appropriate claim upon your attention. It is the business of individuals to persuade the tendency of concentrated strength, is only to give consistency and permanence to an influence more compendious than persuasion.
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It is probable that there is no one thing that it is of eminent importance for a child to learn.
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He that loves reading has everything within his reach.
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The proper method for hastening the decay of error is by teaching every man to think for himself.
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Power is not happiness.
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In a well-written book we are presented with the maturest reflections, or the happiest flights of a mind of uncommon excellence. It is impossible that we can be much accustomed to such companions without attaining some resemblance to them.
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