“It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government.”

— Thomas Paine

Edward Abbey, "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." as written in "A Voice Crying in the Wilderness" (Vox Clamantis en Deserto): Notes from a Secret Journal (1990), ISBN 0312064888.
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Thomas Paine 262

English and American political activist 1737–1809

Edward Abbey (1927–1989) American author and essayist

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Vox Clamantis in Deserto) (1990)

“Every mission constitutes a pledge of duty. Every man is bound to consecrate his every faculty to its fulfilment. He will derive his rule of action from the profound conviction of that duty.”

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–1872) Italian patriot, politician and philosopher

Life and Writings: Young Europe: General Principles; reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 207

“Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”

Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American politician, 40th president of the United States (in office from 1981 to 1989)

Remarks at the National Conference of the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO (30 March 1981)) (source: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1981/33081b.htm)
1980s, First term of office (1981–1985)

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.”

Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American politician, 40th president of the United States (in office from 1981 to 1989)

As cited in The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World (2007), Alan Greenspan, Penguin Press, Chapter 4 (Private Citizen), p. 87 : ISBN 15942 01315
1980s

“I think very poorly of United Russia. United Russia is the party of corruption, the party of crooks and thieves. And it is the duty of every patriot and citizen of our country to make sure that this party is destroyed.”

Alexey Navalny (1976) Russian anti-corruption activist

As quoted in "Net Impact: One man's cyber-crusade against Russian corruption" http://archive.is/FGqQE (4 April 2011), by Julia Ioffe, The New Yorker

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.”

George Washington (1732–1799) first President of the United States

“The Republican cause is onward. Every man who desires good government has an important political duty to perform, and, with a united and determined effort, the country will be redeemed from the misrule of modern Democracy.”

Elbridge G. Spaulding (1809–1897) American politician

Remarks on the Republican platform (1860)

“Protecting the environment is a global problem, and it requires co-operation from every country, every organisation and every citizen.”

Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (1949) Prime Minister of Vietnam

"Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng’s speech at the 4th National Conference on Environment" http://tapchimoitruong.vn/english-edition-i-2015-39/Prime-Minister-Nguy%E1%BB%85n-T%E1%BA%A5n-D%C5%A9ng%E2%80%99s-speech-at-the-4th-National-Conference-on-Environment-18093 (30 October 2015)

“Once the principle is admitted that it is the duty of the government to protect the individual against his own foolishness, no serious objections can be advanced against further encroachments.”

Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) austrian economist

“To protect those who are not able to protect themselves is a duty which every one owes to society.”

Edward Macnaghten, Baron Macnaghten (1830–1913) Anglo-Irish rower, barrister, politician and Lord of Appeal in Ordinary

Jenoure v. Delmege (1890), 60 L. J. Rep. (N. S.) Q. B. 13.

“It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government.”

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