“The distinguishing characteristic of small republics is stability: the character of large republics is mutability.”

— Simón Bolívar

Letter from Jamaica (Summer 1815)
Context: A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay; its free government is transformed into a tyranny; it disregards the principles which it should preserve, and finally degenerates into despotism. The distinguishing characteristic of small republics is stability: the character of large republics is mutability.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Aug. 31, 2022. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The distinguishing characteristic of small republics is stability: the character of large republics is mutability." by Simón Bolívar?

Simón Bolívar 17

Venezuelan military and political leader, South American li… 1783–1830

Related quotes

“Taiwan is the Republic of China, the Republic of China is Taiwan.”

Tsai Ing-wen (1956) President of the Republic of China

Source: Taiwan is not Republic of China, Taipei Times, 1, January 26, 2014, 26 March 2014 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2014/01/26/2003582152,

“You are a republic of voices tonight. Unfortunately, that republic is Italy.”

Jay McInerney book Bright Lights, Big City

Bright Lights, Big City (1984)

“It is unnecessary, for the Republic has never ceased to exist. I was the Republic.”

Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) eighteenth President of the French Republic

Reply in August 1944 to a statement of regret that the windows of the Hotel de Ville in Paris were not opened for the crowd outside cheering the reestablishment of the Republic. Quoted in The Atlantic, November 1960.
World War II

“Tortured for the Republic.”

James A. Garfield (1831–1881) American politician, 20th President of the United States (in office in 1881)

Strangulatus pro republica.
Last written words, two days before he died; these are sometimes reported as being his last words. (17 September 1881) Variant translation: "Tortured for the sake of the republic."
1880s

“Republic of letters.”

Henry Fielding (1707–1754) English novelist and dramatist

Book XIV, Chapter 1
The History of Tom Jones (1749)

“In less than a hundred years the Germans organised themselves into six very different systems: the Hohenzollern Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the German Democratic Republic (aka communist East Germany), the Federal Republic of Germany (aka West Germany), and finally democratic reunited Germany. Of course the Germans kept their language and their love of beer and bratwurst. But is there some unique German essence that distinguishes them from all other nations, and that has remained unchanged from Wilhelm II to Angela Merkel?”

Yuval Noah Harari book 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

“The state system, a joint dictatorship of all the revolutionary classes and the system of government, democratic centralism--these constitute the politics of New Democracy, the republic of New Democracy, the republic of the anti-Japanese united front, the republic of the new Three People's Principles with their Three Great Policies' the Republic of China in reality as well as in name. Today we have a Republic of China in name but not in reality, and our present task is to create the reality that will fit the name.”

Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

On New Democracy (1940)
Original: (zh-CN) 国体——各革命阶级联合专政。政体——民主集中制。这就是新民主主义的政治，这就是新民主主义的共和国，这就是抗日统一战线的共和国，这就是三大政策的新三民主义的共和国，这就是名副其实的中华民国。我们现在虽有中华民国之名，尚无中华民国之实，循名责实，这就是今天的工作。

“You may ask what kind of republic I dream of. Let me reply: I dream of a republic independent, free, and democratic, of a republic economically prosperous and yet socially just; in short, of a humane republic that serves the individual and that therefore holds the hope that the individual will serve it in turn. Of a republic of well-rounded people, because without such people it is impossible to solve any of our problems — human, economic, ecological, social, or political.”

Václav Havel (1936–2011) playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and 1st President of the Czech Republic

New Year's Address to the Nation (1990)

“The confirmation of the Republic has been my object; and I know that the Republic can be established only on the eternal basis of morality.”

Maximilien Robespierre (1758–1794) French revolutionary lawyer and politician

Last Speech to the National Convention (26 July 1794)

“In the new-democratic republic under the leadership of the proletariat, the state enterprises will be of a socialist character and will constitute the leading force in the whole national economy, but the republic will neither confiscate capitalist private property in general nor forbid the development of such capitalist production as does not "dominate the livelihood of the people", for China's economy is still very backward.”

Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

The Economy of New Democracy
On New Democracy (1940)

“The distinguishing characteristic of small republics is stability: the character of large republics is mutability.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Simón Bolívar 17

Related quotes

Related topics