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Despotism isn't nearly as bad as it's cracked up to be.

Democracy passes into despotism.

Is not liberty the destruction of all despotism - including, of course, legal despotism?

Despotism can only exist in darkness, and there are too many lights now in the political firmament to permit it to remain anywhere, as it has heretofore done, almost everywhere.

Bureaucracy, the rule of no one, has become the modern form of despotism.

Enlightened despots are mythical creatures; real despots seem more interested in stealing money or installing their sons after them.

Never may a man prone to believe scandal be a despot or a popular leader! Under his guidance, democracy itself will be despotism.

Any government, that is its own judge of, and determines authoritatively for the people, what are its own powers over the people, is an absolute government of course. It has all the powers that it chooses to exercise. There is no other or at least no more accurate definition of a despotism than this.

Throwing off despotism and tyranny is our history and part of our national identity - something in which we can take incredible pride.

Despotism is the only form of government which may with safety to itself, neglect the education of its infant poor.