Off goes the head of the king, and tyranny gives way to freedom. The change seems abysmal. Then, bit by bit, the face of freedom hardens, and by and by it is the old face of tyranny. Then another cycle, and another. But under the play of all these opposites there is something fundamental and permanent the basic delusion that men may be governed and yet be free.
About This Quote
About H.L. Mencken
H.L. Mencken was a 19th-century American journalist and writer. Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. Read more on Wikipedia →
Themes
- Freedom — The value of liberty, independence, and self-determination