As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

— H. L. Mencken, On Politics

Democracy White House Moron

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has…

— H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy

Democracy pathetic Belief Ignorance Collective Wisdom

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.

— H. L. Mencken, A Little Book In C Major

Democracy

Penetrating so many secrets, we cease to believe in the unknowable. But there it sits nevertheless, calmly licking its chops.

— H. L. Mencken, Minority Report

Secrets Unknowable

Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable.

— H. L. Mencken, Prejudices

Faith Illogical Improbable

The kind of man who wants the government to adopt and enforce his ideas is always the kind of man whose ideas are idiotic.

— H. L. Mencken, Minority Report

Government Ideas Idiotic

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, and intolerable...

— H. L. Mencken, Prejudices

dangerous Government taboos Superstition

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