Top 7 Quotes by James Harrington

Every man, either to his terror or consolation, has some sense of religion.

Every man, either to his terror or consolation, has some sense of religion.

Men, Religion, Terror

James Harrington, John Toland, John Hall (1737). “Oceana”, p.516

The Law is but words and paper without the hands of swords of men.

Men, Hands, Law

No man can be a politician, except he be first a historian or a traveller; for except he can see what must be, or what may be, he is no politician.

James Harrington

Men, May, Firsts

1656 The Commonwealth of Oceana.

And government (to define it de facto, or according to modern prudence) is an art whereby some man, or some few men, subject a city or a nation, and rule it according to his or their private interest; which, because the laws in such cases are made according to the interest of a man, or of some few families, may be said to be the empire of men, and not of laws.

James Harrington

Art, Men, Law

James Harrington, J. G. A. Pocock (1992). “Harrington: 'The Commonwealth of Oceana' and 'A System of Politics'”, p.9, Cambridge University Press