Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes About Politics

• None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Wisdom, Powerful, Freedom

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1853). “Goethe's Opinions on the World, Mankind, Literature, Science, and Art”, p.3

• Nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. Faith enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Love, Life, Happiness

• There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Xenophobia, Business, Ignorance

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, W. B. Rönnfeldt (1898*). “Goethe's Criticisms, Reflections, and Maxims”

• The best government is that which teaches us to govern ourselves.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Freedom, Government, History

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (2015). “Maxims and Reflections”, p.99, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

• I hate all bungling as I do sin, but particularly bungling in politics, which leads to the misery and ruin of many thousands and millions of people.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Hate, People, Politics

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1853). “Goethe's Opinions on the World, Mankind, Literature, Science, and Art”, p.100

• To rule is easy, to govern difficult.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Government, Politics, Easy

• Patriotism corrupts history.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Politics

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1963). “Goethe's world view: presented in his reflections and maxims”

• Our modern wars make many unhappy while they last and none happy when they are over.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  War, Unhappy, Politics

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1963). “Goethe's world view: presented in his reflections and maxims”

• In politics as on a sickbed men toss from side to side in hope of lying more comfortably.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Lying, Men, Political

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1963). “Goethe's world view: presented in his reflections and maxims”

• Legislators and revolutionaries who promise both equality and liberty are visionaries and charlatans.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Political, Promise, Liberty

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1963). “Goethe's world view: presented in his reflections and maxims”

• Wealth and speed are what the world admires, what each pursues. Railways, express mails, steamships and every possible facility for communications are the achievement in which the civilized world view and revels, only to languish in mediocrity by that very fact. Indeed, the effect of this diffusion is to spread the culture of the mediocre.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Communication, Views, Achievement

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1963). “Goethe's world view: presented in his reflections and maxims”

• In politics people throw themselves, as on a sickbed, from one side to the other in the belief they will lie more comfortably.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Lying, People, Politics

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